First of all, don't be misled by the cover. There are no 'girly bits' in this book anywhere. What there is though, is a fantastic story that grabbed me and wouldn't let go until I had finished.

A.B. Gayle introduces us to Steve, a man who is in a way still trying to find his way back after escaping a very abusive Master/Slave relationship. Of course, who else would catch his eye but Mr Leather...

Don (aka Mr Leather) also is trying to get over a life altering change and Steve and he are thrown together through events. I'm not saying much more; you'll have to read the book!

What I will add though, is that this book is written with the greatest of care. I came to love all the characters involved. The building of the MC's relationship is beautiful to be a part of. No issues are swept under the carpet, or ignored, but nothing drags on unneccessary either. Whilst a book written in the first person is usually not my favourite, in this case I had no issue with it. I just got lost in the story.

A book definitely going on my favourites shelf and will be reread in the near future. ( )

*Edited*

I have a passion in reading books with BDSM and characters in pain, either physical or psychological. In both subjects, there are some stories that gloss over the past or glorify the sex and kink with over the top and unrealistic acts. But A.B. Gayle seemed to to just draw the story gracefully and naturally.

As an added bonus, I want to say that the cover was brilliant and perfectly represented the story and characters.

Basic Plot:

Steven comes back home to Australia after fleeing from a previous boyfriend and the BDSM lifestyle. Now that he is home, he tests the waters by returning to places from his past. But he meets a Dom, Don whose charm Steven finds tempting. Can he let the past go enough to find love and acceptance for his future?

Theme:
I think that this book is about accepting yourself. We see in Steve someone who has repressed his desires for kink because of his past relationship. He has listened to everyone else: therapists, his family, and his former Master and ignores what is in his heart. Don tells Steve:

“I like you the way you are. Raw. Natural. Perfect.”

And then:

“Remember, being kinky is not a sin. Forget what your therapist said. Unless they’ve had firsthand experience, they don’t know what the fuck they’re talking about. Don’t ever be ashamed of what we do.”

Never being ashamed of who you are. Strong words.

Strong Point:

A powerful point of this book was the description of the BDSM activities. While the Master/slave relationship is not exactly displayed directly in this book, the roles, kink, psychological factors, and sensuality of it is. We see how it can be good, but we also see how it can go horribly wrong. What I liked about this story is that the author did not gloss over the dangers of the lifestyle. She took what was a realistic worse-case scenario with Steve’s past boyfriend and made the reader feel Steve’s pain. But she also gave us how it could be done correctly as well, so that the reader is not left thinking that BDSM lifestylers are all just wackos and abusers. It is a difficult thing, to vilify a character without vilifying the scene, but I felt Gayle did it brilliantly.

I also loved the humor of the writing. As Don always said of Steve, he uses his “shiny armor”, which is his humor and flippy lip. His scenes with Gabriel were hilarious and I loved how his “Stevie Tricks” character is so effusive.

What could be better?

When I give a book a five-star rating, I find it difficult to find something wrong with it. And this book is no different for me. If I had anything to want, it would be have heard Don’s voice. But after wanting that, I realized that it would have hurt the tension and the pacing of the story.

Conclusions:

I have a feeling that this is a book I will read numerous times. Remember when we read paperbacks (hahahah) and the spine became broken and lined? The book would automatically open to your favorite parts. That’s what this book has quickly become to me. I can just smile and think about the scene in the kitchen, in the garage, or in the meditation room.

This is her best writing. I look forward to reading more of this series and from A.B. Gayle. ( )