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elfflame's review
dark
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
papercranestitches's review
3.0
These books are okay, but there isn't anything terribly exciting or titillating about this series; it's more gooey sweet than anything else.
bfdbookblog's review
4.0
i really liked this book as much as the first one. i'm not really a big fan of bdsm but the love stories in this series so far have been really good so i'm able to get through some of the stuff i don't like. i'm glad this book started with a continuation of sorts with kyle and gavin as i felt their story was left hanging in book 1.
i think of all the couples, i will like derek and corey best because they are more relaxed with the lifestyle which is more my speed. i absolutely loved the care derek showed corey and his help in getting through a difficult time so they could have a safe and secure relationship. i loved watching corey heal and become stronger with derek. i also liked that he received professional help. so many books these days gloss over the healing process and that is a hard pill to swallow. i'm glad ms. knight included that because i think corey really needed it to move on.
there were a couple of things about this book that bothered me but i still loved the overall story. i don't like that the issues with the ex-dom are still completely unresolved. that is a critical piece to this story and i feel like we were left hanging again. the other issue is a little bigger and that's with kyle's 'public' scene to get over his pain play fear. that seemed like a super personal thing between gavin and kyle that would have been better in private so gavin could help him through his issues. it also really bothered me that he relied on corey - another unstable/unsteady sub - to gather his strength during this scene instead of gavin. i imagine if we were in gavin's head we would have seen how much that hurt him...for kyle to turn to corey for strength instead of to gavin. it further proves that he wasn't read to perform that scene.
i think of all the couples, i will like derek and corey best because they are more relaxed with the lifestyle which is more my speed. i absolutely loved the care derek showed corey and his help in getting through a difficult time so they could have a safe and secure relationship. i loved watching corey heal and become stronger with derek. i also liked that he received professional help. so many books these days gloss over the healing process and that is a hard pill to swallow. i'm glad ms. knight included that because i think corey really needed it to move on.
there were a couple of things about this book that bothered me but i still loved the overall story. i don't like that the issues with the ex-dom are still completely unresolved. that is a critical piece to this story and i feel like we were left hanging again. the other issue is a little bigger and that's with kyle's 'public' scene to get over his pain play fear. that seemed like a super personal thing between gavin and kyle that would have been better in private so gavin could help him through his issues. it also really bothered me that he relied on corey - another unstable/unsteady sub - to gather his strength during this scene instead of gavin. i imagine if we were in gavin's head we would have seen how much that hurt him...for kyle to turn to corey for strength instead of to gavin. it further proves that he wasn't read to perform that scene.
the_novel_approach's review
5.0
I’ve been a fan of Morticia Knight since reading The Hampton Road Club series, which is BDSM historical fiction. Love it. And I loved the first Kiss of Leather book as well, so when I saw this book came out, I knew I had to read it to see what happened with the club and the men involved.
Before I start the bulk of the review, I will say that this is a series you need to read in order. While the meat of the story involved Derek and Corey, and doesn’t require prior knowledge of the first book, the first chapter is about Gavin and Kyle, and it’s set immediately after the events of book one. I’d also recommend maybe going back to reread the last chapter of book one if it’s been a long time, or if you can’t remember what happened with those boys. That said, once Corey is safely deposited with Derek, they are the focus of the story, but in order to get there, Kyle and Gavin need to be present.
Corey is a friend of David, and when he gets into trouble, he calls David for help. Of course, David will do anything to help his friend, so, being out of town himself, he enlists the other people he trusts—Gavin, Kyle, and Derek—to help Corey out until he and his Master, Josh, get back. Having had a Dom who hurt him, Corey struggles to trust anyone. He shies away from Kyle and Gavin, and when he sees Derek for the first time, he’s intimidated. Not only is Derek huge and his body language screams Dom, but to Corey he’s gorgeous.
Derek doesn’t really have time for a sub. He’s drawn to young, pretty twinks, and Corey is all that and more. But he doesn’t want to get involved with someone again, especially not when that person is coming out of a relationship he refuses to talk about. One that has clearly left him afraid. Derek doesn’t even know if the man wants another relationship with a Dom and not having BDSM in his life is a deal breaker for him. When Gavin and Kyle leave Corey with him, the two have to figure out how to navigate around each other, and come to terms with their mutual attraction.
What I love most about Morticia Knight is her ability to create such deep characters. Not one of her characters is alike, and each story is different from the last. While they might have some things in common, that’s what makes them great friends rather than too similar to be interesting. Derek is a gentle giant who likes to work on his Harley. Corey isn’t too sure about wanting a fulltime D/s relationship, unlike Kyle and David, and he loves how big, hairy, and protective Derek is. The insight into Derek’s past is interesting. Readers learn he used to wrestle, and that he has anger management issues. While that might seem like a bad combo for a Dom, he’s fully in control with subs, and his anger stems from people taking advantage of others.
If you’re a fan of Ms. Knight’s writing, I recommend this series, especially if you like her Hampton Road Club books. I eagerly await the next installment! I’m hoping for Marshall, since he was conspicuously absent from this book. Fingers crossed!
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-safe-limits-by-morticia-knight/
Before I start the bulk of the review, I will say that this is a series you need to read in order. While the meat of the story involved Derek and Corey, and doesn’t require prior knowledge of the first book, the first chapter is about Gavin and Kyle, and it’s set immediately after the events of book one. I’d also recommend maybe going back to reread the last chapter of book one if it’s been a long time, or if you can’t remember what happened with those boys. That said, once Corey is safely deposited with Derek, they are the focus of the story, but in order to get there, Kyle and Gavin need to be present.
Corey is a friend of David, and when he gets into trouble, he calls David for help. Of course, David will do anything to help his friend, so, being out of town himself, he enlists the other people he trusts—Gavin, Kyle, and Derek—to help Corey out until he and his Master, Josh, get back. Having had a Dom who hurt him, Corey struggles to trust anyone. He shies away from Kyle and Gavin, and when he sees Derek for the first time, he’s intimidated. Not only is Derek huge and his body language screams Dom, but to Corey he’s gorgeous.
Derek doesn’t really have time for a sub. He’s drawn to young, pretty twinks, and Corey is all that and more. But he doesn’t want to get involved with someone again, especially not when that person is coming out of a relationship he refuses to talk about. One that has clearly left him afraid. Derek doesn’t even know if the man wants another relationship with a Dom and not having BDSM in his life is a deal breaker for him. When Gavin and Kyle leave Corey with him, the two have to figure out how to navigate around each other, and come to terms with their mutual attraction.
What I love most about Morticia Knight is her ability to create such deep characters. Not one of her characters is alike, and each story is different from the last. While they might have some things in common, that’s what makes them great friends rather than too similar to be interesting. Derek is a gentle giant who likes to work on his Harley. Corey isn’t too sure about wanting a fulltime D/s relationship, unlike Kyle and David, and he loves how big, hairy, and protective Derek is. The insight into Derek’s past is interesting. Readers learn he used to wrestle, and that he has anger management issues. While that might seem like a bad combo for a Dom, he’s fully in control with subs, and his anger stems from people taking advantage of others.
If you’re a fan of Ms. Knight’s writing, I recommend this series, especially if you like her Hampton Road Club books. I eagerly await the next installment! I’m hoping for Marshall, since he was conspicuously absent from this book. Fingers crossed!
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-safe-limits-by-morticia-knight/
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