I read this because it is a love story first. I found it rewarding even though D/s and kink aren't my things. I am friends with people in "the lifestyle" and so I understood the general dynamic going in. The way it works is thoroughly enough revealed that maybe even people brand new could gain understanding and acceptance from reading it. We see what's happening both from the submissive's point of view and the dominant's, and how they misunderstand each other. That and how other characters complicate their new relationship is well done. I thought the ending went on too long, but as I said, it's not my thing but was important in that dynamic.

It might have made a more compelling story had it been told solely from Alex's point of view, but I can see why the author chose not to do that. ( )

Alex is a very shy twenty two year old. Leo, a man in his late thirties who is still coming to terms with the death of his lover of 6 years. Alex hasn't even truly come out, he's only admitted it online to some friends. And on top of all of that, he is struggling to understand the way certain ideas make him feel.

Together these two men make a beautiful couple. Their journey towards one another is a thing of beauty. There are bumps along the way, issues to work out, misunderstandings that come with every relationship. But K.C. Wells writes a gorgeous story for these two men. They now have their own little place inside my heart. ( )

I love this series! It's well written and so hot. The characters are great to read, Alex is innocent and sweet. I felt bad for how his mom and brother treated him. Luckily, Leo is there to love him and teach him how to be a sub. The scenes are so good, so fun to read, and I have to fan myself after ;) The story flows so well, there's never a boring part and I just flew through reading it. I didn't want to put it down and now I just want to dive into the next book about Thomas. The BDSM element seems more realistic that some other books I've read and it's not over the top. Alex and Leo still have a relationship as boyfriends too. Great story! ( )

This is one of the best novels I have read in a while. For me, it has the perfect balance between a developing, extremely romantic relationship with potential for so much more, and some fascinating discoveries for both partners on a personal and a sexual level. The tone is real, telling the story with no-holds-barred honesty, the sex is hot because it combines the physical and the emotional, and one of the things I really appreciated was that the author took her time letting the characters and the feelings that develop between them grow. Yes, this is a longer book than the average e-novel in this genre, but it is sooo worth it!

Leo may be a big, bad Dom, but he broke my heart. He lost his sub two years ago, and is still in pain; Gabe was his everything. His way to deal with the situation is shutting himself off from all emotion, and that, of course, is no way to live. Unfortunately, it is the only thing he can come up with, other than working his a** off to make the BDSM club he owns with Thomas, his mentor, a huge success. But man does not live for work alone, not even a Dom. He is shocked when all kind of emotions surface when he runs into Alex, who is a waiter at Severino's. Leo does not admit the extent of what he feels for a very long time, but moving slowly is just what Alex needs, too - if for very different reasons.

Alex struggles with his life at home, where his parents are super restrictive, and his younger brother makes life a living hell for him. Alex has got no sexual experience whatsoever, and as for BDSM, he only knows what is available in the internet. Once Leo starts pursuing him, Alex is more than interested, even though he cannot understand why Leo would take notice. Yeah, Alex has a lot of self-esteem issues stemming from a mother who has belittled and suppressed him since he was a young boy. I hated her as much as the younger brother, maybe more. I loved how Alex begins to discover things about himself he never knew as he and Leo explore a physical relationship.

Both men need lots of support, love, and learning/understanding what works for them, and some of it they can give to each other. But like in any beginning relationship, they also need perspective and the occasional "nudge" from friends. Luckily, Leo has some great guys who understand him and give the occasional pointer, and Alex finds men he can talk to as well. What follows is a slow burn in terms of speed, but the heat is considerable from the very beginning.

If you like relationships that are given the time to develop while the characters get to know each other, if you enjoy character-driven, multi-layered novels with depth, and if you're looking for a read that is about the psychology as well as the physical side in a BDSM relationship, then you will probably like this novel as much as I did. It is one of my favorites in this genre.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.
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I like this book. The main characters were likeable. The side characters (Pietro, Miles, Thomas, etc...) were likeable. Rob and Alex's mother were *not* but alas, you can't have everything, tight? I'm a little divided about Dorian.

On the one hand, I sort of wanted his membership revoked, but on the other, I feel like there's more going on with him than just his 'pain slut' reputation. That, of course, remains to be seen. Regardless, he should have left well enough alone once he learned Leo was off the market. Even if he believed (for whatever reason) that Leo was trying to change himself for a partner, not in the lifestyle (assuming he thought that when he heard Alex was not part of the community) he could have, at the very least, observed them together before making any sort of decisions and taking any sort of overt action.

Anyway, enough about Dorian...

It was nice to see Alex come out of his shell and come into his own. His family (with maybe the exception of his father even if it did take him a while to grow a pair) were just a waste of oxygen and it's understandable how difficult it must have been growing up in that kind of stifling atmosphere.

Leo, on the other hand, is still dealing with a debilitating loss, and I was pleased to see that so accurately portrayed. The death of a partner is not so easily moved on from, so I was glad that the author didn't have Gabe's death be more recent.

Overall this was a well-done story, with well thought-out three-dimensional characters. ( )