Stay ( Working out the Kinks 1) by K.M. Neuhold

Title: Stay Word Count:205 pgs
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance/ Puppy play

Blurb:What happens to a couple when one of them discovers a new kink that he’s not sure his partner will be into?

Dear Art,
I’m sure you get messages like this all the time, but I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore. I suppose I should start from the beginning… Three weeks ago, I saw puppy play for the first time, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Wait, no, that’s not really the beginning… Ten years ago, my best friend who I’d been in love with my entire life told me he loved me too.
For ten years, I’ve been living in complete bliss with Lars, the man of my dreams. Don’t get me wrong, we have our fights and disagreements (mostly because I do irritating shit, and every once in a while, he reaches the end of his patience), but he is my other half in every way. I didn’t know I could love someone the way I love him.
Then, the puppy thing happened. It’s not so different from when I realized I was gay; there was a moment where everything sort of clicked into place, and my whole body was like “Yes, that’s what we’ve been trying to figure out all this time.” At first, I thought maybe I should just let it go because it’s not the kind of thing I can imagine my partner being into. But last week I went into a kink shop and ended up walking out with a puppy hood. I stashed it in our guest bedroom closet and haven’t even had the courage to take it out and try it on again, let alone show it to Lars. I don’t know what to do. How do I bring this up to him? And what if he isn’t into it? I feel like I don’t recognize myself anymore, and I don’t know where to turn. Please help.

Sincerely,
One Lost Puppy

My Review: Jonah and Lars have loved each other from the moment they could walk. First as friends and in the last ten years as lovers. They have the kind of relationship where even after ten years,the flame still burns bright and they are more in love now than ever. Nobody is perfect, but their love comes pretty close. The chemistry between the two men is off the charts and watching their love story unfold will leave you smiling from ear to ear.

Jonah and Lars know everything about each other, or at least that’s the thought. When they decide to venture to the pride parade for the first time, something pings Jonah’s curiosity. Watching a group of men dressed up as ‘puppies’ strangely illicits a sense of longing in Jonah. Jonah feels bereft when Lars mentions how weird the puppy kink seems. That is the very first time that Jonah hides his true feelings from Lars, because he disagrees. Jonah thinks the ‘puppies’ are cute and wonders what it would be like to be so carefree.

For the next few weeks, Jonah secretly delves into the world of puppies. He browses websites and reads all the articles he can get his hands on. He is guilty of soaking up all the info he can get and he is convinced that this is the path for him. There is just one problem, how does he explain that he wants to try puppy play to Lars? Lars have noticed the slight changes in Jonah, seeing how secretive and withdrawn he has become. He is at a loss and grasping to figure out what’s the problem.

Lars stumbles on the answer to his internal questions when he gets home unexpectedly early one day. He catches Jonah trying on his new puppy hood. Jonah is clearly embarrassed and extremely nervous about Lars’ reaction, waiting for his rejection. Seeing the vulnerability on his lover’s face, Lars calmly opens up the conversation. Lars doesn’t reject Jonah, he gives him the comfort that he needs. Lars is just so happy to have his lover back, instead of the secretive, distant man that Jonah was becoming. Jonah explains everything and why he feels so drawn to puppy play.

Lars being the ever supportive , loving partner that he is plunges right in. He vows to be the best master to his pup. Lars lets Jonah know that this journey will be one that they will take together. Jonah is overjoyed, but obviously he is still a little shy and uncertain in some aspects. There is now a new dynamic to their relationship that they are both willing to explore. Jonah lets Lars know he wants to play a more submissive role in their everyday life. Lars relishes being more dominant and cottons to the idea of being able to organise Jonah’s daily routines to alleviate some of his lover’s stress. Being a doctor Jonah already has a lot to deal with at work. He is ready to relinquish that control to Lars when he gets home. There is definitely a newfound freedom to Jonah’s personality.

Lars has loved Jonah through many different seasons. This is certainly a never-ending love. Jonah’s commitment to being the best master pushes them both to go to a trainer who helps them to navigate this new world. They both gain a lot of insight from their lessons. Lars learns commands and boundaries as a way of communicating with his new pup. Puppy play is definitely a freeing time for Jonah where he turns into this over-exuberant pup named Lucky. Seeing Jonah so ecstatic and at peace makes Lars falls even deeper in love with him. They are both gaining confidence in their respective roles and Lars is surprised at how well he has acclimated to being a master. This dominant and possessive side is one they have never explored, but Lars finds that he really enjoys it.

For their upcoming eleventh anniversary, Lars decides to ‘put a ring on it’. He presents Jonah with a ring and collar with a lock. Jonah is overjoyed and hands over his gift which turns out to be a cock cage. This takes their sex lives to new heights. The thought of truly being the master of Jonah’s erections and orgasms more than revs up Lars. Jonah loves seeing his man so dominant and possessive.

They can no longer wait to be married so they decide to elope to Niagara Falls. It is a beautiful ceremony where they become lifelong partners and husbands. They culminate their wedding night with the hottest sex ever after a week of Jonah being in a cock cage. He loves that feeling of being owned by his master. I really enjoyed the beauty of the love between Jonah and Lars. It is proof that true love can survive mostly anything. It shows an all encompassing love that allows for individuality. Most of all it allows for changes that come with growth when two people share their lives together and become one. I give this my ratings of 4- lose the underwear.

PS: I must admit that I still don’t fully get the whole ‘puppy play’ aspect, but I certainly will not bash it. Love is love and everyone should feel free to be who they are and love who they want.

Teddy and his Bear(Oh My! 1) by Andi James & Lila Wilde

Title: Teddy and his Bear    Word Count: 286 pgs
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance

Blurb:At twenty-four, Teddy should be used to feeling abandoned and unwanted. After all, he’s been dealing with it most of his life. But a recent breakup takes him completely by surprise and now he’s on his own again. Nursing new and old hurts, he leans on his makeshift family and finds solace in a growing and unexpected friendship with an older man.

Forty-two-year-old Barrett has successfully ignored his biggest need for years. His last boy left him questioning everything he knew, and he is determined to lead a vanilla life, no matter how much his friends try to convince him to be true to himself. When he learns his favorite barista needs a new place to stay, he offers a solution that leads to spending more time with the younger man.

A change in circumstances brings both men together and their buried feelings to light. Teddy knows he’s attracted to Barrett but isn’t sure if he’s ready to risk his heart again, and Barrett is losing the struggle against his dominant nature. Will learning Barrett’s sexy secret be too much for Teddy, or is it just the thing he never knew he needed?

Teddy & His Bear is a 90K word slow-burn, May/December, Daddy kink MM romance featuring
one hot Daddy, his sweet new boy, coffee, and unicorns.

My Review: Teddy is devastated when his two boyfriends sit him down and tell him they no longer want to be a triad. Teddy is flummoxed , when they explain that they would rather be a pair. They say it’s easier to explain to people. Teddy’s heart shatters when they let him know they’ve been considering it for a month. Teddy leaves feeling as if his whole world has imploded. His best friend Tony and his boss/ friend Claudette help him to pick up the pieces.

Teddy pushes himself to work, but the questions keeping swirling around in his head. What did he do wrong? Most importantly, he wonders why he wasn’t enough for them. This is the thought that really brings him to the brink of tears. Teddy is so distracted by these thoughts that he almost fell off a stool at work. His life is ultimately saved by one of his customers,who happens to be a traveling doctor Barrett. The concern in Barrett’s eyes and being in strong arms causes everything to overflow. Barrett holds Teddy while he cries and he pours out his heartbreak in his story.

Needless to say, Teddy is embarrassed to see Barrett the next time.Barrett is just sad to see Teddy so heartbroken. He wishes he could make Teddy’s world right again. Barrett knows deep down that he sees all the perfect qualities of a ‘boy’ in Teddy. These qualities are the siren song to his repressed ‘Daddy’ persona. There is just one problem, Barrett has put away his ‘Daddy Dom’ after his last boy left him years ago. Barrett has forced himself to live a vanilla lifestyle after his last ‘boy’ accused him of being a smothering daddy. Barrett is scared of making the same mistake again.

Knowing that Teddy needs a place to stay, Barrett offers to rent him a room over his garage. An easy friendship forms between this unlikely pair. Their friendship fills a void in both of them and goes a long way to piecing back together Teddy’s shattered heart. They cook dinner together, binge watch tv with Teddy being the voracious snuggler. Teddy shows Barrett the fun side of life, a part that’s been missing in him for so long. He receives the nickname Bear from Teddy , who sees just how much of a cuddly teddy bear Barrett can be.Barrett enjoys taking care of sweet Teddy, even though he knows it’s not his ‘boy’.

Things change between them at a Halloween party. Teddy acts on his crush for the sexy silver fox Barrett. Their heat reaches combustible levels and they both get exactly what they need. Once the sun comes up though, they both decide that they should remain friends only. That doesn’t work out too well as they can hardly resist each other. When Teddy hurts his ankle at work, Bear steps up as a Daddy Dom taking care of his ‘boy’ unofficially. Teddy enjoys Bear taking care of him, especially when Bear slips and calls him baby boy. Teddy doesn’t understand the significance until his best friend Tony explains that Barrett is a Daddy Dom.

Teddy starts doing his research about the Daddy/ boy dynamic. The more he learns, the more he sees this is the connection he’s been missing. Teddy makes the decision to get his Daddy to see him as the perfect boy. Bear can no longer resist, once he sees his boy’s acceptance of their power play. He falls right back into his Daddy role with such ease. Sparks ignite between Daddy and his boy, their connection is effortless and they fall into their roles seamlessly.

Teddy adapts to the Daddy/ boy lifestyle as if he was living it forever. It definitely doesn’t hurt that he has the most amazing Daddy, who always puts his boy’s needs first. They continue to build their relationship and it grows exponentially with the time they spend together. They hit a bit of a snag, when Teddy finds out that his exes are in the process of adopting a child. This brings about all of Teddy’s insecurities and feeling unworthy. Barrett is sad to see his boy so tormented. He decides to show him how grateful he is to have Teddy in his life, by officially asking him to move in.

They enjoy the newness of their relationship and explores the lifestyle by visiting Barrett’s old kink clubs. This opens up a new world of possibilities for Teddy. He indulges in new experiences and being more open with his sexuality and his exhibitionist side. He revels in belonging to his Daddy and finds a newfound joy in being a Daddy’s boy and taking his punishment spankings and orgasm denial when necessary. This was certainly a feel good story that had me smiling the whole way through and very emotional at times. Barrett, the ever patient Daddy Dom was always there to soothe Teddy’s fears and insecurities. In the end , Teddy’s confidence and happiness was unshakeable because of his Daddy’s love. I give this my ratings of 4- lose the underwear.

Rent Me 2: Own Me by Brina Brady

Title : Own Me                Word Count : 344 pgs
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance

Blurb : Russian mobster Dmitri Dubrovsky married ex-rent boy Bren. Jealousy is still a big issue for both of them. They fear that the other will find someone better and leave. Dmitri’s ex-boyfriend Viktor is still in love with him and hates Bren. Viktor sets out to cause problems and make Dmitri and Bren question their love and commitment to each other. Bren tries to be the best sub, but feels Dmitri doesn’t take him seriously. Some BDSM elements.

Dmitri gets even more possessive when Bren works with his favorite ex-client from Forbidden Desires Escort Agency. To complicate matters, Russian mobsters threaten the Dubrovsky family.
New Cover on this book.

My Review : It would seem that Brennen and Dmitri still have a lot of kinks to iron out , even though they are newly married. Their kink level is extremely high and Brennen spends most of his time enduring some form of corporal punishment or another. Dmitri is even more controlling and possessive than ever. When he finds out that Bren will be associating with his former favorite client from his rentboy days, Dmitri is uncontrollably jealous. He places Bren in a cock cage and a locked anal plug.
Bren becomes infuriated when he thinks that Dmitri might me cheating on him with his ex boyfriend Viktor. They have a long standing rivalry over the sexy Dmitri. Brennen goes after Viktor with guns blazing, literally. Bren goes all crazy on Viktor, and it takes the two brothers Mischa and Dmitri to calm Bren down. Mischa is as confused as ever about Dmitri and Bren’s relationship, he doesn’t understand the BDSM element to their love and he doesn’t condone it especially when Bren is being punished.
Bren’s past comes raring it’s ugly head in the form of his former abuser who happens to be Dmitri’s older brother Adrik. All their lives seem to be entangled and Dmitri is forced to have a relationship with Adrik as danger threatens to strike close to home. Bren is also forced to reconnect with Adrik in order to help out a newfound friend.
The master / slave dynamic becomes more pronounced in Dmitri and Bren’s relationship . It produced some very intense, very hot sexual situations. Also, it brought them closer in a way that nothing else did. It is clear that Bren not only needs discipline, he thrives on it and it solidifies their union causing bonds that are unbreakable. However, Bren’s quicksilver temper and Dmitri’s overbearing possessiveness soon leads them into another fight.

There is absolutely no doubt about it that Dmitri and Bren are oh so hot together, but it gets a bit exhausting watching them fight and make up so many times. Their makeup is almost instantaneous when Bren gets in trouble and has to ask Dmitri to bail him out. Dmitri does that without even blinking an eye , because at the end of the day he loves Bren like no other. Things really start heating up and after a kidnapping attempt on Bren, Dmitri makes the decision to move all of his family members to Germany for awhile. Bren and Dmitri have a lot of issues, but they stand strong in the face of adversity and their love seems truly invincible. I give this my ratings of 3 – it was ok, give it a try.

Favorite Quotes : 1. “That’s it, boy,” Dmitri said. “Stick that cute little ass in the air. I’m going to smack my big balls against those tight round cheeks. I could fuck you till you pass out and I’d still be shoving my big dick into your wet hole.” ( Nothing like a bit of dirty talk to get Bren’s engine revving.)

2.“Good boy. Now come on, open up more for me. I want to get in deeper. Swallow my cock with your wet boy lips. I’m going to come deeper inside your ass.” Dmitri wrapped his arm around Brennen, stroking his cock faster. Dmitri twisted Brennen’s nip rings with his other hand, bringing moans of pleasure from him. He shifted hands, holding his hairless balls while pulling his foreskin back as far as possible. The pain and pleasure caused Brennen to moan in delight. He spread his legs wider, allowing Dmitri fuller access. “Ahh—I’m coming,” Dmitri shouted. Dmitri flooded him with his cum, igniting Brennen to spill his load in five quick spurts. Brennen made animal grunting sounds as his cum landed in Dmitri’s hand. He milked Dmitri until he pulled out. Both rolled into each other’s arms. ( These two were meant for each other, they are soooo hot together.)

Tales From the Edge 2: Living on the Edge by L. M. Somerton

Title : Living on the Edge         Word Count : 37,371
Genre : Contemporary Gay Romance

Blurb : Sometimes it takes willpower to resist temptation but courage to give in.

Aiden Keller is a brilliant and intriguing young man. When he’s convicted of hacking, his sentence takes him to The Edge, a high-end corporate training company with a mysterious sideline. There he is given into the custody of its owner, the enigmatic and demanding Heath Anders, and his business partner Joe Dexter.

From the moment Heath takes charge of Aiden he recognises the boy’s submissive nature, even though it is well hidden beneath a veneer of snarky attitude. But for twelve months, Aiden will be his responsibility and Heath cannot allow himself to get involved whilst the boy is obliged to obey him.

Aiden settles into his new life with the help of Olly, Joe’s pretty, submissive boyfriend, who is very perceptive when it comes to noticing the sparks of attraction flying between Aiden and Heath. Slowly and gently, he teaches Aiden that submission is not a weakness and to accept his desire to be dominated.

Unable to resist, Heath starts to test Aiden’s willingness to be obedient, and against all the odds, love (and lust) start to bloom. Aiden, however, is not quite what he seems and his past is about to endanger all their lives.

My Review : This is the second book in the Edge series and I really had high hopes for it. I was drawn to Heath from the first moment meeting him in book 1. Sadly , I was really dissapointed. I didn’t feel the connection between Heath and Aiden so much. Aiden was sent to the Edge as an alternative to a prison sentence for a technological crime he committed. From the moment he laid eyes on Heath , he was instantly attracted but he was definitely intimidated by him.
Heath is certainly attracted to Aiden as well. Aiden is feisty and willful and Heath can’t wait to make him submit. Heath is afraid to abuse his power while Aiden is at the Edge, so he introduces him slowly to the BDSM lifestyle with the help of the precocious Olly and the very dominant Joe. Olly drops hints to make Aiden curious about submission. Heath likes the challenge, but Aiden was a little too resistant to my liking. There are different forms of dominance and submission, but I just did not feel connected with these two. Heath was too much into chastity and orgasm denial and this just did not float my boat. I give this my ratings of 3 – it was ok, give it a try.