Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

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Their Ruthless Sadist (Office Intrigue Book 5) by Nicole Edwards: Release Day Review

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By definition, a Sadist is one who receives sexual gratification from causing pain and degradation to another.

That’s me to a T.

I only play with those who understand what it means, those who are willing to indulge my devious desires.

Any masochist who seeks me out knows that if they trespass, I will gladly shatter them and walk away, leaving them for someone else to put back together.

Yet the cowboy and the pretty boy have given themselves to me. They have agreed to play by my rules and there is only one: THERE ARE NO RULES.

I have warned them. I’m not looking for companionship or love. I don’t want to be their friend, their confidant, or their lover. I’m in it for pleasure only. In the form of pain.

I am ruthless.

I am a Sadist.

And I make no excuses for it.

Amazon

Let me start by saying that I’ve not read the previous books in this series because they are either MF or MMF. I just don’t read “romance” with a female lead any longer. I am fairly competent about extrapolating information from what I am given though.

But I have some questions:
Not only are their BDSM lifestyles openly discussed at work, you can bring your subs to work? And play with them? Because Zeke had to make sure he could bring his dog to work, but no mention of bringing two subs?

Moving on.

This book was a big nope for me. And not for the reasons you would expect. I really enjoy reading BDSM books and so few of them focus on the S&M aspect. So I went in knowing what was ahead and looking forward to it. But it was honestly, so blah.

There is zero emotional connection. Not only between any of the characters, but between me, the reader, and the characters. Part of that is because Brax goes along with this for Case and Zeke walks away after a scene. No aftercare at all. Apparently that is his “thing”. I think it is BS.

Beyond that, the devil is in the details. Brax and Case move to Chicago so Brax can be the head chef of a new restaurant the PR firm is opening, (a pr firm is opening a restaurant?) but says he has nothing to do really until it is almost open. So wrong. A head chef given carte blanche would be at that restaurant 24/7 making sure things were exactly as they wanted them.

Case at least seems to still do his job of personal training at times.

The dialogue could be so incredibly cheesy at times.

“Well, ladies,” Case said with a smirk. “That’s our cue. It seems our Sadist is ready to inflict some pain.”

Quite often Brax complains in his head about being “forced” to do something, but then says how much he loves it.

Basically, for me, this book was a hot mess. From the story line, to the details, to the characterizations and complete lack of emotion. Nicole Edwards shouldn’t give up on MM books or even MMM or MMF. But stick to more romance and away from BDSM. Because if the previous 4 books were anything like this “I have to go see what my Master wants! I hope my ass hurts after!” (ok, not a direct quote, but similar), just no.

2 Pieces of Candy 

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Safe Place (Rainbow Place #2) by Jay Northcote: Blog Tour and New Release Review

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Where do you go when your home is no longer a safe place?

Alex is about to turn eighteen and is firmly in the closet. He’s been biding his time, waiting to escape to uni, and finally come out away from the oppressive influence of his homophobic father. When he flunks his exams, he’s stuck in the small town of Porthladock—and what’s worse is that he’s working for his dad. The only thing that makes it bearable is Cam.

Cam’s comfortable with his bisexuality, but he doesn’t broadcast it. Young, free, and single, his social life revolves around playing rugby and hanging out with his mates. He’s attracted to Alex, but with the six-year age gap, Cam’s wary of getting involved. Plus, he thinks Alex needs a friend more than he needs a lover, and as their friendship grows, Cam decides he’s not willing to risk ruining it for casual sex.

When Alex’s dad finds out about his sexuality, Alex is suddenly both jobless and homeless. He finds work at Rainbow Place, the local LGBT-friendly café and Cam lets Alex stay in his flat for a while. But Alex would rather be sleeping in Cam’s bed than on his sofa. With them both living under one roof, their feelings for each other grow stronger, and the sexual tension is hard to ignore. Will giving in to it ruin their friendship and complicate things for Alex even more?

Although this book is part of a linked series, it has a satisfying happy ending, and can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Length: 48,000 words approx.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

 

So, I loved Seb and Jason in book one, though I did want to strangle Jason a time or two. I was glad to see things had worked out so well with them. Not only that, but remembering Alex from their story had me really hoping for his own story.

Alex is young, only seventeen with a very influential father in town; he’s kept his sexuality a secret from everyone apart from the people at Rainbow Place. It’s his sanctuary of sorts, the only place he can really be free to be himself. If you’ve read the first one, you know that Rainbow Place is a place coffee shop for both the LGBT+ community AND their allies. I love the concept, I so badly wish every place had someplace like that. Especially smaller towns where it could be dangerous for people to be themselves. Alex and his friends though, they fit right in thanks to Seb…

And then there’s Cam, a part of the rugby team that helped Seb when the shop was vandalized. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that they were taken with each other…However, just when Alex gets the nerve to acknowledge Cam and Cam makes a move…he discovers who Alex’s father is.

A bit about Alex’s dad…not only is he a terrible father, he’s also a bigoted, hateful and controlling man. He wrote the letter in the paper that no doubt had everything to do with Seb’s café being vandalized, if he wasn’t behind it altogether, I’m still not sure; but the things that come out of his mouth…He’s just an ugly person. My heart broke for Alex having to grow up around that…His mother too, but I felt that maybe she just more uneducated…stupid to what she didn’t understand, and she got there in the end, and I was glad for that for Alex’s sake.

When Alex’s dad finds out his secret, he not only tells him how much he does not approve but he also physically hurts him… Alex knows he can’t go back to living under his dads roof and working under his thumb, luckily, he’s got lots of friends and of course Cam. Cam tries to keep things platonic, he doesn’t want to lose the friendship he’s built with Alex, but the attraction to each other goes deeper than either of them expected. It’s nice seeing Alex stand up for himself and learn to depend on himself. I love Seb for his help and the way Cam and his roommate step up for Alex.

Overall, it was a great addition and I’m curious to see who’s next.

4 pieces of eye candy from me!

 

August 31 – Mikku-chan, Gay Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed, My Fiction Nook, Lelyana’s Reviews, My Mind’s Landscape, September 3 – Katie’s Book Corner, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, September 5 – Bonkers About Books, September 7 – Queerly Reads, September 10 – Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, The Way She Reads, The Day Before You Came, September 12 – Wicked Faerie’s Tales, Wicked Reads, September 14 – BooksLaidBareBoys, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Geekery Book Review, September 17 – Nicole’s Book Musings, September 19 – Xtreme Delusions, Book Lovers 4Ever, September 21 – Drops Of Ink, Valerie Ullmer, Mirrigold, Lillian Francis, Making It Happen, OMG Reads, Bayou Book Junkie

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

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*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Private Charter by N. R. Walker: New Release Review

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Stuart Jenner’s job is high stress, high stakes, and everything he’s strived for. So why, when the apex of his career is within reach, does he stumble? At his doctor’s insistence, he books a privately chartered yacht to sail around the Whitsundays for two weeks of sun, surf, and sex. When his friend-with-benefits bails on him at the last minute, Stuart decides to go alone.

Foster Knight left the rat race behind six years ago, bought a yacht, and now calls the Great Barrier Reef his home. Sailing tourists around tropical waters is all in a day’s work, and he’s never been happier. When his next client arrives alone, the two-week charter will be the most private job he’s ever had.

Foster can see how stressed and exhausted Stuart is, and he promises him extensive rest and relaxation. Stuart slowly realises his original plan for two weeks of sun, surf, and sex might not be lost yet. Confined to a yacht, isolated by aqua-coloured oceans and the sweltering sun, Stuart and Foster are about to find out just how hot the tropics can get.

Tagline:
Just how hot can the tropics get?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I am a big fan of NR Walker, as are a lot of readers. And rightly so. Yet I will admit that this blurb gave me just the tiniest of pauses. Two characters, alone, on a boat for 2 weeks? I was afraid of it being either really boring or really repetitive. It was neither.

The book jumped right into the story. I think the first chapter was about the one day leading up to his vacation and why he needed it so badly. And why he ultimately went alone. No wasting endless chapters watching this guy fall apart plodding away at a job that was killing him. Refreshing.

Although Stuart- the guy on vacation- pretty much jumped right in with the flirting, Foster- the yacht captain/owner- was hesitant. For a lot of reasons, but the biggest was fraternizing with a client. He finally gave in with a little help from everyone’s friend tequilla.

From there the sex ramped up quickly, but so did the relationship. The men really getting to know each other. And how could they not when they were the only two there?

There was substance as well. Discussing the coral reefs and the damage they have incurred, learning about a lot of the outlying islands of Australia and of course, Foster tried teaching Stuart about sailing. So while I wouldn’t trust me sailing a boat, I can probably pretty confidently answer a few questions on Jeopardy the next time sailing is a category.

And without spoilers, because I just don’t do that, I loved the ending. And the epilogue.

A solid read with plenty of sex and a bit of romance, you absolutely will enjoy this book.

4 pieces of eye candy

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since… 

Contact N.R. Walker

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nrwalker@nrwalker.net

 

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Victoria Sue Montly Author Guest Post with Giveaway

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Author Victoria Sue’s monthly guest post is all about her conferences this year. She has had quite a year, as you’ll see. Damon Suede’s “ass babies” made me snort laugh. Check it out, and make sure you comment for a chance to win one of her backlist books. Thank you Victoria for stopping by! 

My Conference Year

I thought I would talk about something completely different this month, and share how my love of reading and writing has led to traveling.

This year I’ve been to Daytona, Florida. Paris, France. Reno, Nevada and Denver, Colorado – whew!

Oh, and I also snuck in our Dreamspinner author weekend in Orlando – nearly forgot about that one!

Coastal Magic – What’s the expression about a picture painting a thousand words? Well, this one is the great Damon Suede and I discussing the merits of MPreg, or ass-babies as he calls them which I find very insulting as none of my guys have ever had an ass-birth.

They may have been an ass, but that’s a whole other story…

Coastal Magic started out as a paranormal con, but has expanded and is my favorite. Not least because it’s on the beach. (Or specifically has a beachside bar which is the best way to appreciate sun and sand in my opinion.)

The three-day event includes Cinema Craptastique – where you get to see Damon being -well, Damon (always a treat) Lunch With An Author (included in Registration) A Mardis Gras party and lots of panels and prizes. https://coastalmagicconvention.com/ Check it out.

Paris – Salon Livre. I have NEVER seen so many people buying so many books in all my life. Dreamspinners along with MXM and Juno (French publishers and translators of many gay romance titles) were incredibly busy (rammed is a good Brit word to describe how busy it was) In fact the Dreamspinners stall looked like locusts had been through by Sunday afternoon. This is me and Nalabela who translates many of our titles.

I’m lucky to write for such a fab publisher who puts on an author weekend every year where we get the chance to learn new cool stuff – Geoff Symon who is a Federal Forensic Investigator walked us through a real-life case and showed us how they worked out the who, the what, and the how on earth did they manage it??

We also get to meet up and connect with other authors, share experiences, and network… Okay, that’s a lie. We met in the bar. Well, we networked in a bar with a very nice exchange student waiter called Sven…

But that is definitely another story.

 

 

On to Nevada. Wanna bet what I was doing? The hotel had a casino which I think is a given there. I attended the last ever Romantic Times (Think the magazine and reviews etc.) conference.

I’m actually very lucky to be an attending author next year at the conference which will replace RT –https://www.bookloverscon.com/ in New Orleans next May and it’s going to be fabulous! Check out the authors and events and better still if you register before September the 15th you go in a draw for a free hotel night’s stay.

And last but not least Denver, Colorado. This is a conference for romance writers but includes a large public signing. It’s three days of learning about every aspect of craft imaginable and helping us get a better book to you every single time. As you can see Charlie Cochet, Mary Calmes, Jessie Potts and I were all working very hard. There might have been a bar. (You can sense a theme here, huh?”)

There are lots of cons I couldn’t get to this year. I’m bummed to be missing GRL, but neither my budget or my marriage (!) would stretch to another one. I haven’t decided where I will definitely be attending next year, but so far Coastal Magic and Book Lovers are confirmed.

Sooo… watch this space.

A standalone in the Enhanced World 

Deaf since childhood, Sebastian Armitage had a promising musical future until his dreams were shattered when he transformed at twelve years old. In a world where enhanced humans are terrorized and imprisoned, his life shrinks around him even more as he suffers the torment of his father’s experimental research to enable him to hear.

Gray Darling—struggling with the scars left by his experience in Afghanistan—agrees to provide short-term personal protection when anonymous threats escalate into assault on those closest to Seb.

As the lines between protection and attraction blur, Gray and Seb can’t ignore the intense feelings drawing them together. But secrets and betrayals might prove deadly, unless Gray is willing to risk it all. And Seb must find the strength to make his own future and sing his own song.

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Leave a comment for Victoria Sue, and you could win a backlist book of hers.

 

Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn: BB, New Release Review and Giveaway

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Oliver and Samuel’s relationship is fairy-tale perfect. They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.

The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.

When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

Cover Design: Dar Albert

 

Length: 205 pages

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

I have no words….

I’ve been literally staring at this page for a solid five minutes trying to figure out where to begin.

First, we have Ollie, having met the love of his life at ten years old. They’d been together ever since, as friends until they were old enough to be more, and then they were. Even years later, the love they had for each other was so beautiful in a way that it was so obvious, it would never end. They didn’t just love each other, they were in love with each other. Nothing matter to either of them, the world could be falling down around them both, and as long as they had each other, they’d die happy. It felt so real. That’s why….when tragedy struck and Ollie lost Sam, I felt it so deep. It felt like I lost him too. How did you do that??

You can imagine the grief that comes with losing the other piece of you. It’s all-encompassing and folks, I ugly cried my little heart out. Body wracking sobs, I am not in the least bit exaggerating, it hit me HARD…
BUT, having the best friends, Cleo and her boyfriend Inram, and their other best friend, Thomas as well as Ollie’s mom….They rallied, they were there for Ollie and without them all, I don’t know what Ollie would’ve become, but I was so glad he had them.

Eventually, though, Ollie came out of the grief and started living again….Nothing happened quickly, it was real in that aspect too… Some days were hard…really hard, but overtime, they got easier. And with the gentle nudge from Cleo, he decided to date again… It was good to get back out there, but Ollie knew that he wasn’t ready… it was a good experience though and I was impressed with the way in which it was handled. Even if I did feel for Peter, I hope he found someone nice in this fictional world… I wouldn’t mind a story about him! <hint hint>

So, after a little more time to get used to what life would be like without Sam, Cleo let’s Ollie in on a secret… Now, in saying this… I’ll admit that I didn’t feel Thomas’s attraction for Ollie at first… it was subtle and I admired the respect he had for Sam and Ollie. My heart broke for him because I couldn’t imagine the unrequited love he had for Ollie. The way Ollie had felt about Sam, Thomas had been feeling that for Ollie… can you even imagine that? Knowing that your heart was lost to someone who had no hope of feeling the same way…. I couldn’t imagine.

BUT, the little things that Thomas did that showed Ollie how he felt…. man, I fell for him so hard. He was amazing! The best friend and everything that Ollie needed. Ollie realized it a little too late though and Thomas needed to try to get over him. He tried…. he really tried, and I was frustrated when he’d met someone else, but I feel like they both needed that.

With some time apart, both guys realized that they needed each other….Ollie needed to realize he loved Thomas in a way that had nothing to do with losing Sam, and Thomas just couldn’t stop his feelings for Ollie, even when he was somewhat happy with someone else. It just didn’t work, because his heart belonged to Ollie.
Sigh…. Seriously, I wish I could explain how I LIVED this book. I felt as if I was living it, experiencing it and it ripped me apart and then in the most beautiful way, it put me back together again…..

THEN, a bombshell…. Thomas, being bi, had a casual relationship with a friend way back that resulted in a baby. The situation was as such where the babys mom needed treatment so Thomas was in charge of the baby while she was getting better. It was tough and he was way out of his element….. but of course he had Ollie. It was time for Ollie to return the favor. They’d switched roles in a sense, because now it was Ollie who had fallen in love with Thomas, and then his little boy, Milo, but he pushed it aside to be what they needed….just as Thomas had done for him when he’d lost Sam…

I could gush about this for AGES… I really good, it was that amazing. I laughed outloud, I cried (a really ugly cry), I swooned and I fell hopelessly in love with these characters…
The only part I somewhat hated, was Sam’s parents and the awful way they treated Ollie. I understood that it helped reiterate what the house meant to Ollie, but I hate that they were so selfish and they never got the karmic justice that they deserved. But, like everything else with this story, it was real. Ollie was understanding to a point and out of respect for Sam, he kept his mouth shut and just exited their lives….at least he got the house, because not only did Sam want him to have it, but, it was home to him. I was glad about that.

All in all, I wish I could buy this book for everyone and just make them read it. If you choose to skip it, you’re really missin out! It’s one that I know will stick with me for a long time, and one I know I’ll revisit again. One of the best reads I’ve read in a while. And I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful ending…

I give it all the stars!

5 pieces of eye candy

After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.

Amazon Profile | Goodreads 

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*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***

Threepeat by K.C. Wells & Parker Williams: Exclusive Guest Post and New Release Review

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Can two Doms open their hearts again for a young man desperately in need of their help?

Two years ago, Aaron Greene and Sam Thompson were devastated when their submissive broke the contract that bound the three of them together. They still wonder what happened and whether they can find a way to move forward. When Aaron finds a sick young man by the curbside, his protective instincts kick in, and after consulting Sam, he takes Tim home.

After being thrown out of his home, Tim Waterman finds himself on the street, doing whatever he needs to survive. Until a bear of a Good Samaritan scoops him up and saves him. Then one bear becomes two, and a chance discovery gets him thinking about what might be, if he’s bold enough to make a move.

So what happens when Aaron and Sam wake up one morning to find Tim naked in their bed? Will they get a new chance at life, or will history Threepeat itself?

Title: Threepeat
Series: Secrets: Book Three
Authors: K.C. Wells and Parker Williams
Release Date: August 21, 2018
Category: BDSM, Contemporary
Pages: 330

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

Vic Prentiss

  1. What is the best gift you ever gave?

After Sebastian broke the contract he had with Aaron and Sam, the two men sunk into a deep funk. They stopped going out, stopping having friends in. It was like they just stopped existing. While I was out of town working on a project, I saw a painting in a shop. It was a young man, facing the sea, looking for something. It called to me, and I knew I had to get it for Aaron and Sam, because they needed to find someone who would complete them. They loved the picture, and it led them to finding a new young man.

Rob Daniels

  1. What was your favorite subject in school?

You’re kidding, right? I hated school. They always wanted you to do things a certain way. I…had issues following rules. Jamie and I would get up into trouble all the time. To be honest, I wish I had paid more attention, especially in Maths class. It might have helped when I got the new job.

Ellis Mann

  1. What’s the last thing you tell your partner before bed?

What do you mean you can’t go again? LOL. Just kidding. Rob told me he said that to Vic, which got him corner time. I thought it was hilarious. When Wayne and I go to bed, emotions I’ve suppressed for so long rattle around in my head. Wayne brings them out, and helps me to find out who I am and how badly I need his guidance. Of course, the only thing I can possibly say is ‘I love you, Sir.’

Maggie Pierce

  1. What is your motto?

My motto is simple. Love your family with your whole heart, because they’re the ones who will take care of you when you’re old. And one day, when I’m old, I hope Jarod remembers the good things I did for him, and not some of the… not so good things. (If you read Threepeat, you’ll see what I mean.)

 Wayne Dwyer 

  1. What is your biggest strength?

Believe it or not, my biggest strength is Ellis. I know people tend to think of the submissive as the weaker partner, but that’s never the truth. In fact, Ellis has far more strength than I do. When he got shot, I fell apart. All I could see was him on the ground, bleeding out. My heart could have stopped in that moment, because if he’d died, I wouldn’t have wanted to go on without him. He’s doing his best to handle what happened. Sometimes I’m the one with the issues, because he’s my sub, and I want to take care of him. What happens when you have no power to fix his problems, though?

The house we based Aaron and Sam’s home on. Check out that theater!

I usually don’t read menage romance. I think it’s because my brain has a hard time wrapping around how three people can be in a relationship and there isn’t any jealousy or conflict from the aspect of a triad relationship. I really had a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea of two Doms with one sub, after those two Doms had been alone together in a relationship for several years. However, sometimes as a reader it’s good to challenge yourself, and read outside your box. I also had read and loved Books 1 and 2 in the series (as well as the previous series by these two authors). So, I decided to give this one a go. In the case of Threepeat, I am glad I did.

One of the things that I appreciated about the beginning of this book was that it focused on Aaron and Sam, before they ever meet Tim. The story begins by showing how the two men were still grieving the loss of the sub that had left them two years prior with no explanation. They were still partners, still had some types of sex, and still went about their daily routines, but it was obvious that the strain between them was there, and it needed a good strong kick from an outsider to bring them out of that grief.

Tim had everything ripped away from him, and had spent a few months on the streets getting sicker and sicker, until he couldn’t take care of himself. He had resigned himself to not living. What a sad, tragic mindset he was in. When Aaron found Tim, it was as if he needed Tim as much in that moment as Tim needed Aaron and Sam. He needed something to focus on, someone to bring him out of his grief, and out of his own personal hell, and taking care of an ill person will do just that.

The fact that Aaron and Sam never once brought up BDSM, or even the dynamics of their relationship was so important to the relevance of this story. If any of that had happened, it would have felt as if they were pushing Tim into a relationship, and even into a BDSM relationship, when he was young, vulnerable and had nowhere else to turn. Instead Aaron and Sam both declared that there was no need for a relationship, that they wanted Tim healthy, and happy, and they would do whatever was necessary to assist with that. They asked what he had wanted to do with his life, offered to help him with classes, finding friends, etc. All of that outside of the boundaries of any sort of romantic and/or BDSM relationship. This is exactly as it should have been, and as a reader, it made the book so much better for me.

This book wasn’t about the sex, or the BDSM, although there was plenty of it…including things I hadn’t ever thought of from a BDSM perspective, but most of all it was about taking a young man who had once had a family (loving or not) and showing him he could have a new one, even outside their home, and still be important to himself. It was truly heartwarming from that perspective. Just like Maggie, I wanted to wrap up Tim and keep him as he worked through his pain.

There had to be a big conflict, and there was. The reader could see it coming. However, I will say I was pretty shocked at how Aaron and Sam reacted in the moment. That I DID NOT see coming. But it reinforced the reality of life that you never know how someone is going to act in a given situation. And their repentance after the fact was perfect. Doms are not perfect, they are human beings and they eff up, and they acknowledged that right away.

All in all, so much better than this “no, thank you, I don’t really read menage” reader was expecting. (Side note…at the time I was reading this one, I happened to be listening to an Audible book that was also an mmm book…that’s never happened!).

Highly recommended.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

K.C. Wells started writing in 2012, although the idea of writing a novel had been in her head since she was a child. But after reading that first gay romance in 2009, she was hooked.

She now writes full time, and the line of men in her head, clamouring to tell their story, is getting longer and longer. If the frequent visits by plot bunnies are anything to go by, that’s not about to change anytime soon.

If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT

You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld

https://www.facebook.com/kcwells.WildWickedWonderful/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6576876.K_C_Wells

Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00AECQ1LQ

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/k.c.wells/

Twitter:     https://twitter.com/K_C_Wells

Blog:         http://kcwellsworld.blogspot.co.uk/

Website:   http://www.kcwellsworld.com/

 

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that come with melding lives together.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to move on and try new things. He’s enjoying his new life as a stay-at-home author because work always frowned on naps.

Connect with Parker on:

Twitter: @ParkerWAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parker.williams.75641

Or you can visit his website: www.ParkerWilliamsAuthor.com

*** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review – nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ***