Review: The Subs Club (The Subs Club #1) by J.A. Rock

A year ago, my best friend Hal died at the hands of an incompetent “dom.” So I started the Subs Club, a private blog where submissives can review doms and call out the douche bags.

A perfect example of the kind of arrogant asshole I mean? The Disciplinarian. He has a pornstache. He loves meat, stoicism, America, and real discipline. And he thinks subs exist to serve him.

But . . . not everything about him is awful. His Davy Crockett act just seems like a cover for his fear of intimacy, and part of me wants to show him it’s okay to get close to people. And, I mean, sue me, but I have fantasized about real discipline. Not role-play, but like, Dave, you’re gonna be thirty in four years and you still work in a mall; get your ass in gear or I’ll spank it.

Not that I’d ever trust anyone with that kind of control. I’m gonna redefine “battle of wills” for the Disciplinarian. Or I’m gonna bone him. It’s hard to say. 

—Dave

I loved this book for numerous reasons but I keep coming back to one, which is I love that it debunks the myth that doms are omniscient. That shit annoys me. Body language and experience only go so far before actual words are needed. And it's not only done organically but deftly and with humor.

This book made me cackle til my sides hurt. Dave tells the story from his POV and his internal musings with their pop culture references swaddled in sarcasm had me in stitches. Each of these characters are so well composed, each with his own distinct personality and all with books coming! I have so much excite about this series I need to find some self control.

Or a metric ton of wine. Whatever works.

Dave, or Little d as I like to call him, forms the Subs Club after the death of his friend, Hal. While it may seem like something you'd get a free Jared sandwich with, the Subs Club's purpose is actually to protect subs and bottoms from abusive, careless and just plain ole bad doms with a rating system and an open forum to discuss concerns within the BDSM community. Naturally word gets out to said doms and things move from acrimonious to Norman Bates in 2.8 seconds.

The dangers within BDSM isn't the only weighty topic addressed in this book it also tackles privacy rights, the grief process, the inherent faults in a rating system and the need for moderators who have the capacity to defuse volatile topics and, ultimately, utilize conflict resolution skills to maintain an open dialogue.

Weighty stuff wrapped up in hotness and humor.

FULL OF WIN!

When you have a group of people who aren't blood related but are a family is one of my favorite types of series. This first book is a fantastic introduction to a series of this type and, I gotta be honest, DD doesn't hold a lot of interest for me. Yet I still loved the BEJEEPERS out of this! All of the core group are introduced-Miles, Gould, Kamen *makes kissy noises* and, of course, Little d. We get a sense of each of them, their kinks and... surprise surprise... Cupcake made a love connection.

Kamen. Kamen. Kamen.
*sighs*

I want him to write a song for me called 'Cupcake' to the music of Spandau Ballet's "True". GO!

Pornstache and Little d 4evs.

Pornstache and Little d because both their names are David or D² are the stars of this installment. Pornstache has a whole "manly man" thing going for him which inspires all sorts of 70s themed porn like fantasies in Little D complete with shag carpet and rust colored bell bottoms. Big D a.k.a. The Baconator oops, I mean The Disciplinarian takes on Little d for 6 sessions.

Little d is a Bratosaurus but he is hilarious and he's actually sweet underneath all that false bravado. He's loyal and would do anything for his friends even if he does bungle it a bit. Communication isn't his strong suit, but my heart went out to him and I was rooting for him to Get. His. Man. He and Big D have chemistry that endeared them both to me. I've seen Big D compared to the guy from Parks and Recreation in other reviews. I've not seen that show, so I couldn't say. I couldn't get the Brawny towel guy divided by Burt Reynolds circa 1977 out of my head. I wonder if he drives a Trans Am... At any rate, his wit is dry as toast and also hilarious. They have the sort of relationship that taps directly into my gooey center... 

Poor choice of words is poor. And awkward.

Aaaaannnnnyyyyway they both bring something to the relationship and those somethings compliment each other. And their kinky times were BOSS and inspirational. *eyebrow waggle* Vick's Vap-O-Rub will never just be for chest congestion ever again.

Maybe, I thought, there was something at least a little brave, a little grown-up, about knowing what you needed and asking for it. About being vulnerable in front of people who could cover you with a new kind of strength. A strength that wasn't about hiding your moments of fear and uncertainty and stupidity, but was about being a whole person, boldly.

They are also poignant at times. In their lurve.

Bottom Line: Much Excite about this series!

You should read it. It's feel good and awesome.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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