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Hostile Takeover: The Game Series #8 by Cara Dee: RB, Excerpt and Release Day Review

September 26, 2022 by Denise

. .

Buckle in for a liquid hot romance where a young man with a plan takes on his aunt’s ex-husband through a wild week of kinky fun and dreams of a happily ever after.

I was on the right path, at long last. The divorce proceedings were going well, we managed to keep things somewhat civil for the sake of our daughter, and I could finally be the man I’d suppressed for decades.

I was gay. And evidently very much into BDSM.

So this was the perfect time to explore, have fun, meet new people, make friends who were actually friends and not the husbands of my wife’s uppity circle of gossip peddlers. I was happy. I was off to a great start, distancing myself from the family I’d once married into.

Then my ex-wife’s favorite nephew came to town on a business trip and wanted to have dinner with me. Obviously, I should have declined. The young man had always put me on edge with his charisma and assertiveness. But surely, I could survive one dinner with Jackson Dune.

The day after was another matter. When we ended up going to the gym together and he showed his true colors. His true, filthy, dominant, addictive, inappropriate colors.

“Do you like to watch, Uncle Franklin?”

–

The Game Series is a BDSM series where romance meets the reality of kink. Sometimes we fall for someone we don’t match with, sometimes vanilla business gets in the way of kinky pleasure, and sometimes we have to compromise and push ourselves to overcome trauma and insecurities. No matter what, one thing is certain. This is not a perfect world—and maybe that’s why the happily ever after feels so good.

Title: Hostile Takeover

Author: Cara Dee

Series: The Game Series #8 (Standalone)

Genre: Gay Romance/BDSM Romance

Tags: #TheGameSeries #SubmissiveDaddy #DominantBoy #Humiliation #GroupPlay #Standalone #EmotionalSadism #Cuckolding #McleanHouse #Exhibitionism #Orgy #AgeDifference #Consent #Voyeurism

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

The Game Series – Books 1-7

The Secret Plan – Book 9 – Out November 22

“Flip the camera—let me see in the mirror,” Tate said.

I eyed the corner of the screen and pressed the right button, flipping the camera. The display suddenly showed a full picture of what I was wearing.

“You make Hugo Boss look next-level hot.” His voice was warm with approval, which eased a pinch of my nerves. “You’ve got this, Franklin. You have nothing to be nervous about. It’s your nephew, not the devil.”

I swallowed uncomfortably and adjusted my tie. “They may very well be the same individual.”

He chuckled and threw himself onto the couch—next to Kingsley, I noticed. They were dressed for an evening at home. Apparently they’d been hungover earlier today.

Kingsley leaned closer and smiled faintly. “Hey, pet. Lookin’ sharp.”

Heat bled onto my cheeks. “Thank you, Handler.”

They absolutely loved that I was forty-seven years old and still blushed like a schoolboy. They certainly took advantage of the trait often enough. Kingsley said he got off on the contrasts of a man who looked like he owned the world but submitted like a cock-hungry whore.

I was that cock-hungry whore.

I wasn’t sure I agreed with his assessment of how I looked, but I understood the draw of contrasts. Kingsley and Tate were full of those too. Kingsley, the Master who could make me fall to my knees with a single look, who always wore jeans and tees and hoodies, who didn’t feel the need to assert himself to others; he just was. Then Tate, his Master’s property. The love of Kingsley’s life. My daughter’s teacher, who’d fooled me for months by wearing preppy cashmere sweaters, gingham button-downs, chinos, and glasses. Never a hair out of place. But when all that came off, he was a tattooed masochist and switch.

Tate had introduced me to BDSM not that long ago. They’d granted me the privilege of joining them for occasional playtime. And Tate was…pure filth. A sadistic little Dominant who called me Daddy before rubbing my face in my own come.

Kingsley cleared his throat as I flipped the screen again. “So explain something to me. You see this kid once or twice a year, but now you’re suddenly nervous?”

To be fair, I was always uncomfortable when seeing Jack.

And Tate had no issue telling his Master just that.

“To this degree?” Kingsley pressed.

“Well, no,” I admitted. After flicking off the lights in the bedroom, I aimed for the living room, where I had liquid courage on a cart next to the couch. “Things have changed. I’m supposed to be Uncle Franklin, the boring, straitlaced, predictable man who’s married to his aunt.”

While Tate smirked, Kingsley scraped his teeth across his bottom lip and took on a pensive expression.

“Screw who you’re supposed to be to him,” he murmured. “Who’s he supposed to be to you?”

I frowned. “You lost me. He’s my nephew, of course.”

Believe me. He’s my nephew.

Kingsley cocked a brow.

Tate was highly entertained, and he crawled up on Kingsley’s lap and rested his elbow on Kingsley’s shoulder. “I mean, you kinda indicated something else last week when you told me about his visit.”

I scowled at him, then poured myself a whiskey. I had twenty minutes before my car service was due.

“I did nothing of the sort,” I insisted. “I merely pointed out that since the last time I saw him, I’ve stopped being in denial about who I am—about what I am—and I’m worried I’ll see him in a different light.”

“As I said…” Tate drawled. “So are you bringing condoms?”

“For heaven’s sake!” I stared at him in disbelief. He was not helpful.

Kingsley’s eyes flashed with amusement. “I take it he ticks all the Dom boxes, then?”

God, I shouldn’t have accepted Tate’s call in the first place. They were making things worse. Much, much worse. Because they were saying out loud what I dreaded the most. I didn’t want Jack and BDSM in the same sentence.

But…yes. That was my fear.

I took a generous sip of my drink and relished the burn as it slid down my throat.

“Is he gay?” Tate wondered.

I winced and inclined my head.

Jack had always been out, so to speak. When he’d reached the age most boys declared their love for girls, he’d said he’d liked boys “way more.” By fourteen, he’d had at least two boyfriends.

“I think I’ve envied him on some level,” I admitted. “I never knew why, but now…”

I could put two and two together.

Homosexuality hadn’t existed in my world, not until I started college. My parents had come from nothing in Nowhere, Kentucky. Then my father had managed to get through school while working two jobs, and he’d made a life for us. They’d moved to DC right before I was born. He’d started his own practice. Mother had been a housewife. Not particularly religious, but traditional, nonetheless. Not to mention very strict and demanding. They’d wanted their idea of a bright future for me. Scholarships, private school, a fine degree. Wife, children, a nice house.

I’d had my first intimate dream about another man when I was in high school, but it’d been about a teacher I hadn’t liked, so I’d chalked it up to a horrendous nightmare. I’d been so incredibly angry and embarrassed by my physical reactions.

Not long after, I’d asked Samantha out on a date.

“I’ve done so many things wrong,” I said.

That softened something in Tate’s eyes. “It gave you Lily.”

That was true. I certainly had no regrets, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t feel bitter and ashamed at times.

“It’s time to look forward, pet,” Kingsley murmured. “You’re building something new.”

I nodded once and took another sip of my drink. He was right. I was finally on the right path.

With McLean House being rebuilt after the fire, this story starts with Jack finding out his uncle (by marriage, tyvm) is divorcing his aunt. Because he is gay. So the guy that Jack has crushed on for YEARS is gay and presumably available. Whew. Now Jack needs to get to Washington DC where Franklin is.

Franklin has been having fun discovering himself. Not only that he is gay, but he definitely has a kinky side. He knows a lot of his kink is humiliation and degradation. He’s been lucky enough to have Kingston and Tate take him on as a plaything. He has also joined their community. Since Kingston and Tate are willing and eager to help him discover all of his kinks, he was quite happy. Because he was discovering himself. He has zero interest in a serious relationship right now. He just got out of a long marriage and wants to have fun.

Until he is home alone and Jack shows up. Jack who is kind of Dom-like. Who twists Franklin up. Who is FAMILY. Right?

SO FUN

Franklin struggles with the family connection. Even though they are consenting adults who aren’t related by blood. but I think Jack has fun exploiting that a bit. Calling him Uncle Franklin. But that goes right along with the humiliation kink Franklin has.

They are both very explicit in their wants, needs, worries and fears. Instead of it being a turn off (I have heard too many complaints that even talking about condoms is a turn off), it’s a turn on. There are no surprises then. Nothing to hold them back wondering if something is ok or not.

Turns out Jack knows Macklin so he knows all about McLean House. He fits right in when he meets Kingston and Tate (again with the open discussion of boundaries, etc).

Jack and Franklin have a week together. A week where Franklin’s ex-wife and daughter are visiting family. And they certainly make the most of it.

I loved that Franklin’s daughter has autism with some pretty big food issues. To see a different representation of autism was a nice surprise. Too often it can be a fairly stereotypical representation. It also shows how Franklin is working with her to try new foods slowly. He is an amazing father and it shows. She also has a hearing impairment which is mentioned at the beginning, but isn’t mentioned when she talks to him on the phone every night. As someone with a hearing impairment myself, talking on the phone is difficult so I was a bit surprised she had no issues. It is addressed again when she comes home from vacation though.

We all know that Cara Dee can write a sex scene. Especially a kinky sex scene. Well, let me tell you. The first scene was OMG. But the Big Scene toward the end might cause you to have to take a moment.

I need more Franklin and Jack! We’ve just met them. Just got to know them as a couple. Their dynamic has sucked me RIGHT in and I need more right now!

4.5 pieces of eye candy

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I’m a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

Find Cara on social media here: https://www.caradeewrites.com/cdwlandingpage

The Sunny Side (The Model Agency, Book 1) by Lily Morton: Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

September 26, 2022 by Denise

. .

Jonas Durand is successful, rich, and controlled. He owns a prestigious modelling agency and has the world at his fingertips, but a turbulent childhood has taught him to be focused and never deviate from a plan.

Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed.

Dean has always been interested in Jonas and has never made any secret of his admiration, but from the beginning, Jonas put him in a neat little box labelled, “Don’t touch,” turned the key, and never looked back.

However, the universe seems determined to thwart Jonas’s plans. Over the course of one hot summer, the two men come together, and Jonas’s well-ordered life becomes something a whole lot wilder.

Moving from the glamorous worlds of London and Paris Fashion Weeks to the sleepy South of France, Jonas finds himself liberating partridges, chasing his supermodel, and falling in love.

From bestselling author Lily Morton, comes a romantic comedy set in the fast-paced and snarky world of modelling. This is the first book in the Model Agency series.

Title: The Sunny Side
Authors: Lily Morton
Series: The Model Agency, Book 1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy.
Tropes: age gap, controlled man/carefree man.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

Dean nods. “Last week, a model didn’t turn up to a fitting. No excuse,” he says in a scandalised voice. “Just couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed.”

“One of mine?” I ask, frowning.

“No,” Dean says. “He was from Browns.”

“They don’t so much run a modelling agency as a circus,” I say with no small amount of satisfaction.

I eye him and Mal. They don’t make them like these two anymore. They come from a background where serious work was the norm. Mal might throw tantrums to rival Marie Antionette, and at one point Dean might have been more stoned than the entire cast of Reefer Madness, but both are as reliable as the sun coming up. They’ve always turned up on time and got the job done.

I’ll miss them when they retire and leave me to the less than tender mercies of the new models. I shudder at the thought and feel a sudden sadness at the idea that one day I won’t see Dean anymore. I rub my stomach absently and look up to find the two of them watching me. Mal looks amused as if he can read my mind, which I wouldn’t put past him, but Dean seems concerned.

“Is your ulcer playing up again?” he demands.

Mal snorts, and I roll my eyes. “No, it is not,” I say in a reproving tone that, as usual, Dean completely ignores. He picks up fewer social cues than an old matron in a Jane Austen story.

“No coffee, then. I’ve got some green tea brewing.”

“Where did that even come from?” I ask despairingly. “I’m sure I don’t have that in my kitchen.”

“Dean carries it around with him,” Mal says, filching a piece of Dean’s omelette and feeding it to the dog. “Remember when Dutch customs found it, Dean?”

Dean grins. “I still remember that strip search. It’s definitely in my top ten.”

I stare at him. “You have a top ten of strip searches?”

He shrugs. “Of course. Most customs officers are rough, but that one had very gentle hands.”

Do a little dance, readers. Lily Morton has started a new series. Squee! And what a start it is!

Obviously it centers around a modeling agency in London. Jonas runs it after a sort of hostile take over from his mother. Dean is one of his most popular models. They have separately and quietly crushed on each other. But Jonas thinks he has no chance with a model (and the whole boss/emplyee thing) and Dean thinks he is too stupid to have a chance with Jonas. Silly boys.

This is a pretty slow burn because of the obstacles they put in their own way. But that makes it all the sweeter I think. In so many stories they will suddenly come together, ripping clothes off, etc. But not this time. I mean it does come to that but it doesn’t start that way. There is WAY more flirting and courting without saying it.

Besides getting to know some new fun characters (PIP!) we get to see characters from previous series and books. Dean is step brothers with Asa and actually set up he and Jude. And his best friend is Mal, who still leaves Cadan on the farm to model, but then runs right back.

I love how it is highlighted that male models aren’t nearly as popular as female models and they still are driven to perfection. By themselves, by photographers, by designers. Dean eats almost NOTHING because he has runway shows coming. Sexual harrassment is also mentioned. And I am sure it is FAR worse than what was in the book.

Dean will absolutely steal your heart. Pip is just amazing. Jonas loosening up is a revelation. Plus kids and dogs and vacations to France. Just swoony.

I cannot wait for more.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

. .

Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – Chocolate Baileys.

Couture Crush (Model Love) by Charlie Novak: Release Day Review

September 25, 2022 by Denise

Beau Barrett is about to become Alt. Bride’s first male cover model, but what about his own fairy-tale ending?

When Beau Barrett arrives to shoot for alternative bridal magazine, Alt. Bride, the last person he expects to see is Cash, his long-lost childhood best friend. The spark between them is instant, but with Beau’s calendar splitting at the seams, he’s not convinced a relationship is possible.

Cash never thought he’d see Beau again, but now the make-up artist is determined to hold on to him. Cash’s life might be overflowing with events, but his crush on Beau can’t be ignored, especially when things between them feel so right.

All they have to do is navigate their jam-packed schedules, their spread-out living arrangements, and the modelling offer of a lifetime. It won’t be easy, but if they can do it, Beau and Cash might just get the chance to find the love they’ve always dreamed about.

Couture Crush is part of the Model Love multi-author series and is a 47,500-word, low-angst contemporary MM novel featuring childhood best friends, couture wedding gowns, arcade date nights, and plenty of fluff and steam. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many models falling in love, why not read them all?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Adorable. Seriously. First thought about this book is that they are adorable.

A model, a makeup artist, childhood friends who lost touch. Brought back together when the model lands a huge cover shoot and the other is his makeup artist.

Beau and Cash just fall back together so immediately. That kind of relationship they had as kids really never went away. Now they are grown. And gay. And single. They are almost immediately inseparable.

There’s no awkward, no angst, no one was mad at anyone. They were just two young guys trying to make it in the world who fell in love with each other.

Cash, as a makeup artist, has interesting stories of what happens in bridal rooms with women. Beau, luckily, seems to have a pretty easy go of being a model. He is hardly a super model, but he doesn’t do too badly. They grow together in their careers as they grow as a couple.

Just cute, cute, cute.

4 pieces of eye candy

Part-Time Daddy by B. Harmony: RB, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

September 24, 2022 by Denise

. .

Exhausted, overworked, underpaid, and for damn sure underappreciated.

Struggling to find a balance between the career I’ve always wanted and the desire to have someone to take care of me, I agree to join an exclusive event at The Garden.

A couple of hours to let go with Dean Nash, the Daddy of my dreams, then it’s back to the grind.

As head of security at The Garden, I’m content with my single life.

When my boss calls in a favor, I reluctantly agree, knowing a few hours of play won’t mean anything. Until I lock eyes with an exhausted boy across the room and every instinct calls me to protect the boy from falling asleep on his feet.

Tanner Morgan checks all my boxes, though I’ve sworn no one ever could.

When we’re tossed into each other’s paths weeks after our one night together…

I offer to show Tanner there can be enough space in his life for a part-time Daddy. A caregiver without expectation of a relationship, feelings, or promises he can’t keep.

Falling in love isn’t part of the agreement, no matter how perfectly we fit together.

Title: Part-Time Daddy
Authors: B. Harmony
Length: 51K
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM, Kink, Daddy/Boy – some age play.
Tropes: Age-gap, Daddy kink, sworn-off relationships, somewhat of a slow burn.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Goodreads

This is the most confusing situation I’ve ever been in. Tanner’s slick hands dig into my back with strength I wouldn’t have guessed him capable of. Each twist of his fingers and knuckles works through my knots and sore muscles—ones I didn’t realize I had. My body melts into a puddle of mush, one square inch at a time.

Except for one particularly firm spot between my legs. While Tanner does his level best to work my muscles into submission, his erection slides against my ass. His bare chest brushes my lower back as he stretches to reach my neck and shoulders. My dick woke up the second my boy stripped for me and hasn’t done anything but grow thicker and needier for him with each touch.

See what I mean? Confusing as hell.

Have I ever been so horny and so relaxed at the same time?

No.

Any other time, I would have flipped us over, pinned Tanner between my body and the couch, and fucked him into oblivion. Which, to be fair, is still top of my mind, but I’m loath to ask him to stop.

It feels too fucking good.

“You’re so tight here,” Tanner murmurs, digging into a painful spot on my right shoulder.

A groan escapes. “It hurts so good.”

Tanner lets out a breathless laugh, sliding away from the tender spot to run his hands over my arms. “How are you feeling, Daddy?”

“Like Jell-O.”

Tanner pokes a finger at my middle. “There isn’t a jiggly spot on you,” he says around a giggle. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Tanner’s dick drags over my ass as he slides backward, his hands drifting to my lower back. Those talented fingers of his trace over the area, kneading closer to the swells of my ass. I bite my lips to stifle a smile at Tanner’s hesitant exploration, his fingers testing the limits of my ass and crack.

I’ve never been much of a bottom per se, but I enjoy an occasional finger or two. It’s cute how he’s quietly testing my limits.

On a rather brave pass, Tanner’s hands run the full expanse of my cheeks, spreading slightly to allow a single soft digit to run up the length of my seam. The fingertip is nothing more than a featherlight caress, glancing over my pucker. Yet, it’s enough to have the smallest moan float out of my chest, my erection swelling painfully against the towel I’m lying on.

“Oh,” Tanner says breathily.

“Does this still count as a massage?”

. .

B. Harmony is an MM romance author with a penchant for writing about boys who kiss boys, rock music, and headbanging. Pretty obvious with the last name Harmony, right?
With survival instincts fueled by iced coffee and far too many swear words to rival any sailor, B. Harmony somehow manages to produce (mostly sweet) contemporary MM romance, with plenty of steam.

Connect with B. Harmony:
www.bharmonyauthor.com
https://amzn.to/3D4GkFo
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/bsharmonizers
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Unkinked (It’s a Kink Thing, Book 2) by M.C. Roth: RB, Excerpt, Release Day Review and Giveaway

September 20, 2022 by Denise

. .

Two broken men. One secret addiction. No turning back.

When Derreck stumbles upon Maddy, who is sitting in his car and nearly sweating to death under the summer’s sun, he is at his breaking point.

But Maddy is just as lost, searching for a Dom he only knows by name and waiting in his car outside the club Unkinked on the tiny chance that the Dom might find him. When it is revealed that Derreck is the man Maddy has been searching for from the very beginning, it seems fate couldn’t get any sweeter.

Derreck invites Maddy into Unkinked as his guest, with the promise of the pain that Maddy so desperately craves. A scene that should have been simple opens Maddy’s mind to a new world and community that aren’t riddled with guilt or judgment.

Derreck knows he can’t let his sub slip away, but Maddy is keeping secrets from his new Dom—secrets that could change their relationship forever.

Reader advisory: This book features pain play, edge play and knife play. One character has a history of addiction and self-harm.

General Release Date: 20th September 2022

Title: Unkinked

Author: M.C. Roth

Pages: 275

Genres: BONDAGE AND BDSM, CONTEMPORARY, EROTIC ROMANCE, GAY, GLBTQI

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

First For Romance

Goodreads

Stepping outside, the sun instantly soaked into his skin, blanketing him in warmth and urging sweat from his body in seconds. The sun had barely moved in the sky, blazing down with what must have been record-breaking heat.

He could barely feel his feet as he stumbled his way along the sidewalk to his car, stopping at the lamp post and leaning on it as he took a deep breath. The post seared through his shirt, heat bursting over his flesh until he thought he might erupt into flames. It did nothing to quell his exhaustion.

He’d never let it get quite that bad before, but he’d never stayed away so long, either. He hadn’t wanted to face Trick or Nav or anyone else. He just wanted relief. The apology had given him a touch of respite but not enough to calm the restless energy in his core.

“You sure you’re okay?”

Derreck looked up and his gaze followed the sound of the voice.

The guy was still sitting in his car, as if it hadn’t been almost an hour. He had pushed up one sleeve of his sweater, one thin and delicate wrist exposed, but the rest of his upper body was still covered with thick, black material. The flush on his cheeks and the sweat in his hair told of how hot he must’ve been, but he was making no move to remove his sweater.

“Still waiting?” asked Derreck, looking back at the club entrance. None of the couples had been missing a third that he knew of. And no Dom would leave their sub in a hot car like he was some sort of oven-baked dog.

No responsible Dom, at least.

The man nodded, flicking his gaze to the door and back to Derreck quickly. His eyes had gone shiny, as if he was just managing to hold back tears. How long had he been there before Derreck had come to the club? How long would he wait?

It pulled at what few heartstrings Derreck had, but it also spoke to his Dominant side.

It pissed him the fuck off is what it did. He clenched his hands into fists, crossing his arms and staring down at the man in his car.

“Who are they? I’ll go get them for you,” said Derreck. There was no way he was walking away with this guy still sitting in his car as he got closer and closer to heatstroke.

“Oh.” The man dropped his gaze, the pureness of his submission pulling Derreck deeper into the strange thrall. His cheeks flushed brighter, sweat beading under his eyes.

Perhaps it had been the wrong question. Some Doms insisted on titles, and Derreck would have no luck if the guy simply said ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’.

“Describe what they look like,” said Derreck, taking a deep breath to keep the anger out of his voice. He was definitely kicking someone’s ass tonight—just not in the way he’d hoped.

“I—I don’t know,” said the man, his gaze still fixed on his lap. “I only have his name. Someone—a friend online—gave me his name and said that he might be able to help me. They said he comes to this club, but I can’t get in without an invite.”

“You can if you’re a guest,” said Derreck, letting out a sigh. This was just getting stranger and stranger. “Your friend can invite you as a guest, and you’ll have a temporary pass.”

“Oh, they aren’t a member,” he said, finally looking up, but only for a moment. “They went to an open house event here years ago, but they don’t live in the city. I don’t know anyone with a membership.”

It was a conundrum that had always bothered Derreck. Privacy came with the price of inaccessibility and exclusivity, especially for subs who were heartbreakingly shy. He would still take his privacy, though. The one-and-done kinksters could fuck off.

He ran a hand over his scalp, scratching the short, tight curls. It was too fucking hot to think, and he had to get off the street before he passed out.

“What’s the name, then? I can tell you if they are here,” said Derreck. He wouldn’t give away much, because if this guy was a stalker, which was quickly becoming a possibility, then he didn’t want to encourage him.

“Oh, it’s… Let me grab my phone. I have it in there.” He fumbled with his pockets, finally sliding his phone out from the pouch in his sweater. Why the hell was he wearing so many layers? Derreck was getting warmer just looking at him. “I saved it in here, ’cause I’m terrible with names. The guy’s name is Derreck.”

Derreck almost choked on his spit when he heard his own name. Cocking his head to the side, he dragged his gaze up and down the guy’s form one more time. His first impression had been pure madness, but he never was one to hold on to a first impression for long. He usually waited until the sixth before he really made up his mind.

The guy was in shorts and flip-flops, which Derreck hadn’t noticed before. It couldn’t have been great for driving, but at least he wasn’t insane enough to wear long pants along with his sweater. His clothes were good quality but well worn, so he probably wasn’t out to try to kidnap Derreck. He didn’t stand a chance either way, unless he had a gun in his pocket.

The man fiddled with his thumbs as Derreck watched him, the chewed edge of his nail vibrant with fresh blood. All his nails were like that—bitten past the quick to the delicate pink flesh beneath.

“How did your friend say he could help you?” asked Derreck, eyeing the guy’s cell phone. It was a new model, fresh out of the store with a custom case.

“I…” The man trailed off, bringing his thumb to his mouth and catching the vermillion edge with his teeth. A fresh droplet of blood oozed up, shining against his lip until he slowly dragged it away with his tongue.

“I heard he could hurt me,” said the man, so quietly that Derreck had to strain to hear him. “I need someone to hurt me.”

Pushing away from the post, Derreck circled around the car and pulled the door open with a jerk. The man’s eyes went wide and he drew back, shrinking into his seat as Derreck loomed over the car.

“What’s your name?” asked Derreck, lowering himself into a squat. It left the man with a slight height advantage, hopefully easing some of his fear that had sprung up. Derreck reached for the man’s hand, pulling his thumb from his mouth. The flesh was burning beneath his palms, slick with sweat and clammy.

“Maddy,” he said, letting out a sigh at the touch.

There was no buzzing under Derreck’s skin or desire to wipe his fingers clean. It was the rare perfection that always seemed to elude Derreck when he needed it most.

“And why do you want me to hurt you, Maddy?” asked Derreck, watching as Maddy’s eyes went wide with realization.

“So I don’t hurt myself.”If you want to go beyond a lot of books that say they are kink or BDSM, give this one a try. Because this is kink. Derreck is definitely a Dom. But more than that he is a sadist. And unlike so many, he doesn’t mix sex and kink.

Maddy isn’t really a submissive, but he is definitely a masochist. And he doesn’t want sex. It’s practically a match made in kink heaven. Maddy NEEDS pain. Derreck needs to give pain.

Until Maddy put himself in the path of Derreck, his pain was self inflicted. His arms and torso were his his canvas. He was damaged. His family rejected him when he called himself an addict. He tried to get help. Instead, he isolated himself. He went to work, but had no friends. In fact, his work kind of demanded that he have no friends. But an internet friend convinced hi to find Derreck.

Derreck was broken in a different way. Too many subs put kink and sex on the same plate. But Derreck got not sexual pleasure from kink. And the last sub he unleashed on, ran.

These two men turned each other inside out. They learned about themselves as they were learning about each other. As they forged a relationship of sorts without definition.

But you’re here to hear about the kink right? Thought so.

Rarely have I read a book where the scenes have been so brutal. But mutually satisfying. You aren’t going to read about a light spanking with some hair pulling. So prepare yourself. In between, there is a lot of self reflection AND self flagellation, if only in their minds.

The book isn’t perfect by any means, but it sure was a revelation to read something that felt so intense,so real. Derreck is presented as a bit of a boogeyman. His job clear, the intentions not so much. There are a couple of instances about the difference in their skin tones that was a bit gratuitous. And details about the club and it’s members were a bit…stretched. I don’t want to spoil anything with details.

And it ended rather abruptly. Way more of a happy for now rather than a happily ever after.

IF you want sweet romance, this is not your book. If you want something that pushes boundaries, have at it.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

M.C. Roth – First for Romance

M.C. Roth lives in Canada and loves every season, even the dreaded Canadian winter. She graduated with honours from the Associate Diploma Program in Veterinary Technology at the University of Guelph before choosing a different career path.

Between caring for her young son, spending time with her husband, and feeding treats to her menagerie of animals, she still spends every spare second devoted to her passion for writing.

She loves growing peppers that are hot enough to make grown men cry, but she doesn’t like spicy food herself. Her favourite thing, other than writing of course, is to find a quiet place in the wilderness and listen to the birds while dreaming about the gorgeous men in her head.

Find out more about M.C. Roth at her website – https://www.mcrothbooks.com/a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Holiday Trap: An LGBT romcom by Roan Parrish: New Release Review

September 19, 2022 by Denise

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FROM A COZY NEW ENGLAND HAVEN TO THE HEART OF NEW ORLEANS COMES ONE HOLIDAY THAT’LL CHANGE THEIR LIVES

Greta Russakoff loves her tight-knit family and tiny Maine hometown, but they can’t seem to understand what it’s like to be a lesbian living in such a small world. When an act of familial meddling goes way too far, she realizes just how desperately she needs space to figure out who she is.

Truman Belvedere’s heart is crushed when he learns that his boyfriend has a secret life including a husband and daughter. Reeling, all he wants is a place to lick his wounds far, far away from Louisiana.

Enter a mutual friend with a life-altering idea: swap homes for the holidays. For one perfect month, Greta and Truman will have a chance to experience a whole new world…and maybe fall in love with the partner of their dreams. But all holidays must come to an end, and eventually these two transplants will have to decide whether the love (and found family) they each discovered so far from home is worth fighting for.

Amazon – All Regions

Ripped Bodice

I was seriously looking forward to this book, from the first time I saw it coming out. A great premise, two people switching places, so that they can get away from the strain of their current lives. And there was so much to unpack in this book! *Side note: I do have to say that I would not call this an LGBT romcom. It didn’t strike me as a romcom at all.* It is a long book, nearly 500 pages, but when you essentially have two romance novels in one book, it’s going to be a long one, and very little of the book was “filler”.

Greta, whose family is…a challenge. I honestly could not figure out how she dealt with all the family dysfunction she did for so long. Her mother was controlling, even though she pretended not to be, her oldest sister was for all intents and purposes a b*tch, and her father could not be bothered to support his child. So, Greta looked to get away, see a bit of the world, enjoy some time in the complete opposite of small town Maine, New Orleans. While she was there, she not only fell in love with Carys, but also with the city, the people, the friends she made, even the plant life. And she learned that people with mature relationships don’t treat their friends and family as if their thoughts and cares don’t matter. The visuals of New Orleans were so good. I just loved that!

Truman, who had another bad relationship, had to leave town to avoid being hurt further by his cheating boyfriend (small spoiler: cheating boyfriend gets his in the end 🙂 ). He swaps with Greta, heading to Owl Island, Maine, and falls in love with the small town feel, where everyone knows everyone else, where people help each other, whether it’s glass jars or helping to care for family members. And of course he falls in love with Ash, who, to be honest, was struggling. Having dealt with the exact thing Ash was going through, it is a drain, it pulls everything you have to give, until you feel stretched so thin, you’re not sure how you don’t break. That was the place where Ash was, and Truman was there to hold his hand, and help give him a little peace. It warmed my heart so much. When you are in that place, the smallest gesture means more than people know, and Truman did all he could to help Ash stand up and find his life again.

This book had so much heart, so much love, and such a level of caring, not just between the four MC’s, but even the side characters. Muriel, Greta’s plant loving friend, Ronnie and Helen, Carys’s housemates, who Greta quickly found a bond with, outside of Carys. Truman meeting the restaurant owners that Ash would be working with on their new project (now THAT was funny stuff). Ramona who was the one that put the swap into place for them. And both Truman and Greta learning how to be mature adults, engage in relationships that are not toxic.

This book had real emotions, and connection between all the characters, main and side, and it was hard sometimes for me to remember I was reading a book, and not living some of that life myself. It broke my heart a bit in many places (hence, the not a romcom), but definitely put it back together again.

I definitely recommend this one. It’s a great holiday read.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique.

More info is at my website: roanparrish.com

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