Review: Under Contract by Helen Saito

In a world where sex slavery has been legalized, sometimes being a part of the system makes things very complicated. Gavin's been a trainer at a slave brokerage company called Cascade for a very long time--ever since he earned his way out of his own slave contract. Now he's met someone he'd actually like to own: a new slave named Alex. Gavin's lover, Sam, is understanding and supportive--and very interested in bringing Alex home--but Gavin isn't sure it's such a good idea. He'd better think fast, though, because he's not the only one interested in Alex.

Whips, belts, beatings, dildos, boot-licking, DP... *dreamy sigh*

It was glorious.

Alex enters himself into the slave training program at Cascade, not because he needs the money (which is why people would usually make this decision.) No, no, no, but because he wants it, craves it, needs to be completely mastered by another human being.  And, oh wow, does he need it. Alex was made to be a slave. There wasn't much of anything, actually I don't think there was anything that he wasn't willing to do to please his master.

After weeks of training Alex, Gavin decides he wants to keep the sweet boy. He and his lover, Sam, set out to try and buy Alex.

This is when things get sticky between them. *snicker* I said sticky.

Big, bad trainer gets overprotective and decides to put on the kid gloves. Tsk, tsk. Bad idea, Gavin.

While Gavin struggles to give Alex what he needs, Alex is struggling with a trainer who refuses to see how much he really needs from being a slave. But once they got past that little conflict it was, just... *grunts* so amazingly intense. Their scenes were intense. Alex had such a crazy, high threshold and want for pain that Gavin and other men where able to deliver blow after blow, with whatever toy they wanted. It's not only the pain he wants, but he wants to be on his hands and knees, serving his master, cleaning his boots with his mouth, doing anything in order to be pleasing.  Sam and Gavin love every worshiping second of it.

And so their dance continues...

The only reason this is getting four hearts and not 3.5 or even 3 is because of the heavy duty BDSM scenes. I have never read such an intense use of toys before *lick lips* I loved it. Otherwise... meh. I didn't feel the chemistry between Alex, Gavin and Sam. I definitely felt it between Sam and Gavin, I loved the scenes between them and their consuming need for each other. I just didn't get much from Alex other than his need to serve, not necessarily his need for Sam and Gavin. I think he could have been bought by any number of masters and had been satisfied. Their story was mostly focused on the training and not on their time together. And then once they were able to really be together... the end. I would have liked the opportunity to get to know them as a threesome, the ending felt rushed and left me wanting.

5 hearts for the master/slave, BDSM, crazy hotness, toys, beatings and boot-licking *grunts again* just... in the words of one of my lovely unicorns... unf. But 3 stars for the relationship feels, or lack thereof. It was good, I liked it, but I want more. I needs a sequel.