The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
wickedwitchofthewords's review
slow-paced
1.0
I just didn’t like it.
It was insufferably long.
The dynamic wasn’t as good as the author wanted us to think. Ben wasn’t a good Dom, he didn’t lead Gav into the life properly, he just kept fucking the closeted guy. Gav wasn’t really a good cop. The BDSM community wasn’t well written and realized .
The female characters in the book were there to be either hated by the reader or annoy the heck out of them.
I wanted to like it. I went in all excited. At 60% into the book I started skimming. By 80% I was skipping chapters and entire chunks of text.
It just didn’t work for me on any level.
It was insufferably long.
The dynamic wasn’t as good as the author wanted us to think. Ben wasn’t a good Dom, he didn’t lead Gav into the life properly, he just kept fucking the closeted guy. Gav wasn’t really a good cop. The BDSM community wasn’t well written and realized .
The female characters in the book were there to be either hated by the reader or annoy the heck out of them.
I wanted to like it. I went in all excited. At 60% into the book I started skimming. By 80% I was skipping chapters and entire chunks of text.
It just didn’t work for me on any level.
abreese's review
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
It was a little too slow for my taste but you felt the tension so well! My heart ached every time there was a new victim and I liked how the build up to the climax felt like watching a train wreck in a good way. Like you knew what was about to happen before the characters but were helpless to stop the events.
I wish we had gotten a little more resolution before the book ended and I know we get more during the second book but I just would’ve preferred a little more of a padded landing.
I wish we had gotten a little more resolution before the book ended and I know we get more during the second book but I just would’ve preferred a little more of a padded landing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Outing, and Rape
Moderate: Homophobia
Kink shaming from other characters throughout the book including the killer.ladysmoke's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this one. The murder mystery was painfully obvious, but I feel like the 'whodunit' wasn't really the main point of the story anyway. The main point was our MC coming to terms with who he is and building and changing the relationships he has with the people in his life. I've gotten invested enough in these characters to be a little disappointed that the story wasn't a bit longer, however, I think this points to the well written characters, and their relationship at the conclusion had a satisfying HFN quality. Plus there are more books in the series that I will happily read to sate my desire for more.
susanmacnicol's review
5.0
I can only say - Wow. I read this book, turning every page like a greedy addict just trying to get to the next few lines and see what happened. This book simply blew me away and kept me enthralled with every word.
The story of Detective Gavin DeGrassi being sucked into the BDSM world after some particularly gruesome murders, then meeting psychology consultant and Dom Ben Haverson, is one of the most compelling reads I've had in a long time. I absorbed every line, every desire of Gavin's to become a sub and have Ben teach him all about his world. The story line is terrific, the back ground plot so entertaining and fascinating and the characters themselves are so multi dimensional I felt as if I could reach out and touch them.
Ben's love for Gavin, his willingness to teach him about his life and world, and Gavin's dependence on Ben to keep him safe and loved, just made my little heart pitter patter in its overstuffed container and made me laugh, cry, take a deep breath and feel with them as their relationship developed. And of course the sheer hotness of the sex scenes and the love making did a lot to make said heart beat faster as well...just so well written and believable -oh and did I say 'HAWT'?
The disturbing and emotional scenes throughout the book that play out to a very gut wrenching and visceral scene which had me literally squirming in my seat are beautifully written with thought, empathy and a real consideration for the scene in which this book is set, that of the world of BDSM.
Of course, I've read the second book 'Safeword' too (wild horses couldn't keep me away when I heard this was out and it was on my Kindle immediately) and that review will be put up shortly too. No surprises there I'm sure as to what I'm going to say about it...
The story of Detective Gavin DeGrassi being sucked into the BDSM world after some particularly gruesome murders, then meeting psychology consultant and Dom Ben Haverson, is one of the most compelling reads I've had in a long time. I absorbed every line, every desire of Gavin's to become a sub and have Ben teach him all about his world. The story line is terrific, the back ground plot so entertaining and fascinating and the characters themselves are so multi dimensional I felt as if I could reach out and touch them.
Ben's love for Gavin, his willingness to teach him about his life and world, and Gavin's dependence on Ben to keep him safe and loved, just made my little heart pitter patter in its overstuffed container and made me laugh, cry, take a deep breath and feel with them as their relationship developed. And of course the sheer hotness of the sex scenes and the love making did a lot to make said heart beat faster as well...just so well written and believable -oh and did I say 'HAWT'?
The disturbing and emotional scenes throughout the book that play out to a very gut wrenching and visceral scene which had me literally squirming in my seat are beautifully written with thought, empathy and a real consideration for the scene in which this book is set, that of the world of BDSM.
Of course, I've read the second book 'Safeword' too (wild horses couldn't keep me away when I heard this was out and it was on my Kindle immediately) and that review will be put up shortly too. No surprises there I'm sure as to what I'm going to say about it...
jenvile's review
5.0
“Most Doms weren't Ben, and most subs weren't me.”
Definitely in my favourites for this year so far. A BDSM novel that’s got a detective who’s actually smart, can hold his own ground and is a sub? And a Dom who doesn’t adhere to normal conventions, is gentle and isn’t a bland copy cat of every other Dom? Sign. Me. Up.
This was an absolute delight to read - it wasn’t too achingly sweet or too intense. It was just the right amount, with amazingly well written and developed characters. Will be reading more in this series and more from this author!
Definitely in my favourites for this year so far. A BDSM novel that’s got a detective who’s actually smart, can hold his own ground and is a sub? And a Dom who doesn’t adhere to normal conventions, is gentle and isn’t a bland copy cat of every other Dom? Sign. Me. Up.
This was an absolute delight to read - it wasn’t too achingly sweet or too intense. It was just the right amount, with amazingly well written and developed characters. Will be reading more in this series and more from this author!
opowell320's review
3.0
i liked it up until maybe 80%
Spoilers below.
Gavin was a horrible detective. Like Damon Lane made so much sense as the killer. He had appointments to meet with each person/couple. His son was murdered the same way he killed all the victims. Like i am not a detective and that is a big red flag. Gavin even realized that the killer would have a drink to drug his victims. Gavin still had a drink with Lane. Like so dumb, so unbelievable. This was a 5 star book until this point.
This was such a bad set up. I saw it from a mile away
Spoilers below.
Gavin was a horrible detective. Like Damon Lane made so much sense as the killer. He had appointments to meet with each person/couple. His son was murdered the same way he killed all the victims. Like i am not a detective and that is a big red flag. Gavin even realized that the killer would have a drink to drug his victims. Gavin still had a drink with Lane. Like so dumb, so unbelievable. This was a 5 star book until this point.
This was such a bad set up. I saw it from a mile away
tlandrews's review
4.0
This book is closer to a 4.5. The intimate scenes with Ben and Gavin were very beautiful. I could see their growth with one another. The who done it was very easy to figure out, I knew who did it very early on.
fellumhistane's review
3.0
This isn't a mystery story. While the main character is a detective, the actual case presented has no twists or thrills in being followed up on, no interesting discoveries. The murders are solved when the murderer reveals themselves at the end of the story. The policing aspects are well researched, but no unfolding takes place, it just stands still while the other plot lines move along.
This isn't a romance story either. The main couple falls pretty easily, fitting together like puzzle pieces with very little conflict. There isn't really much back and forth as far as dialogue, and beyond the subject at hand, I'm still not sure what they really like about each other. Despite reasoning given, they get involved quickly and move to the true love basis at marathon speeds, which was a bit unsatisfying.
People expecting a smut story might also be disappointed. While there is plenty of graphic scenes that are unfolded pretty nicely, they are only a partial aspect of this book.
This story is really a manifesto in defense of BDSM, with a side of gay acceptance. It's certainly refreshing to see the lifestyle presented in a positive and healthy light, but this purpose takes up a very large chunk of this slim novel. It's also a cautionary tale about trust, and the terror that can ensue when it's handed out too easily.
Due to the detective story told in the periphery, the subject of BDSM is taken to horrific extremes by the end of the novel, tainting what was presented as enjoyable and healthy into a nightmare. With the lack of tension given through the novel's development, this outcome was suddenly shocking and weird in my opinion.
The BDSM behaviors and habits and the community presented are also slightly unrealistic. It's either glamourized, or shown within a pretty narrow perspective. Ben's preferences for example are demonstrated as being almost universal habits, which is pretty far from the truth. Not much space is given to the variety and subjectivity of the wide kink. For example a large section is focused on pain play and public play, which is only one facet to the jewel in question.
Overall, still an enjoyable and for the most part fuzzy read, except for the ending. The approach is focused on open-mindedness and respect towards and community that usually ends up the butt of jokes, or portrayed as dangerous deviants. The attempt on it's own is to be admired and is a healthy step in the right direction.
This isn't a romance story either. The main couple falls pretty easily, fitting together like puzzle pieces with very little conflict. There isn't really much back and forth as far as dialogue, and beyond the subject at hand, I'm still not sure what they really like about each other. Despite reasoning given, they get involved quickly and move to the true love basis at marathon speeds, which was a bit unsatisfying.
People expecting a smut story might also be disappointed. While there is plenty of graphic scenes that are unfolded pretty nicely, they are only a partial aspect of this book.
This story is really a manifesto in defense of BDSM, with a side of gay acceptance. It's certainly refreshing to see the lifestyle presented in a positive and healthy light, but this purpose takes up a very large chunk of this slim novel. It's also a cautionary tale about trust, and the terror that can ensue when it's handed out too easily.
Due to the detective story told in the periphery, the subject of BDSM is taken to horrific extremes by the end of the novel, tainting what was presented as enjoyable and healthy into a nightmare. With the lack of tension given through the novel's development, this outcome was suddenly shocking and weird in my opinion.
The BDSM behaviors and habits and the community presented are also slightly unrealistic. It's either glamourized, or shown within a pretty narrow perspective. Ben's preferences for example are demonstrated as being almost universal habits, which is pretty far from the truth. Not much space is given to the variety and subjectivity of the wide kink. For example a large section is focused on pain play and public play, which is only one facet to the jewel in question.
Overall, still an enjoyable and for the most part fuzzy read, except for the ending. The approach is focused on open-mindedness and respect towards and community that usually ends up the butt of jokes, or portrayed as dangerous deviants. The attempt on it's own is to be admired and is a healthy step in the right direction.