Guest Review: Forgive Us (Deliver Us, #3) by Lynn Kelling

To everyone else, Trace is an enigmatic and carefully controlled Dominant. He runs Diadem, a private BDSM club and is a Master and mentor to his fellow Doms and their lovers—Gabriel, Darrek, Ben, and Kyle—while trying to be Master and lover for Micah. Trace is the one they all depend on to step in when anything or anyone threatens his closest friends.

But even Trace is in over his head when haunting events of the past endanger all their lives. Trace is forced to call on old connections for help from the world he tried to leave behind—the Master’s Circle in England. Tensions rise to a fever pitch as Trace’s hidden truths shake up the lives of everyone in his tangled, tight-knit family. (M/M+)

Reviewed by Vivian

Crazy train tries to become a daisy chain.

The runaway train is brought back under control as the insanity prevalent in the first two books in the series is dialed back. That doesn't mean there isn't the wild carousel of acts and surprise appearances; it just means the main characters aren't wielding deadly weapons against each others' mental well-being.

Enter Gray, the calm in the storm and meet Trace as you’ve never known him.

There is a series' crossover occurring with this book from Lynn Kelling's Deliver Us and Jack Pyke's Masters' Circle. Gray, Jack and Jan are the stabilizing force in chaos of Diadem. The synergy turns out well.

Gabriel and Darrek are still a mess. Events, paranoia and their own issues are driving that train.

And Micah…yeah, no big surprise that this is the implosion of the book. The total disregard for mental health counseling is upsetting beyond belief. I HATE the use of BDSM in lieu of appropriate healthcare. The situation in this book is something that required counseling and not talking about it is the problem and perpetuating the myth that the magic penis will save you is gross negligence in this instance. Honestly, the weakest point in this series for me has been that every character has been completely mental and in need of assistance and while it is addressed there is the implication that only persons suffering psychologically would be BDSM participants. If this was levied against other groups it would be chastised and as entertaining as the series maybe I'm going to call it on the mat.

What fun is in store? Wax play, sounding, electric play, medical play, whipping, strapping, and the list goes on. As usual, the raw grittiness and sensuality of the sex scenes are the highlight of the book. So plan some "Me" time when starting.

Love the scenes and their creativity and sadism, but the story itself due to the sheer wtfuckery makes me disengage at times. Before it was bed and fuck with your head roulette. Now, Gray is reaming Trace over his handling of Diadem and the boys. Gray’s running roughshot over everyone and everything. That said, there are some fun scenes as each person is run through and set straight. Lives are torn apart and pieced back together again slightly differently.

And the suspense aspect of the story is ratcheted up big time including the psychological and physical torture. Gray’s on top of everything—Everything. Let’s just say some of the three letter agencies mentioned in this seem to be a bit mixed up in regards to jurisdiction.

Overall, more of a suspense than melodramatic ending to the series, which I appreciated. Gray’s appearance in the story toned down a lot of the absolutely mental behavior and substituted it with iron-fisted Dom-ination.

And manages to end with a pretty bow on it.

Wag of the finger to Ben's endeavor at the end of the story. Something I really despise, but thankfully it was reserved for the end and was minimally distracting, but still annoying. Author commentary about writing should be saved for another venue and not within the book one is writing. I know it may not bug everyone, but it is a major pet peeve of mine.

My rating was affected by my need and hopes after reading the series that the characters would find a good place in the end and I have to admit I was satisfied. I strongly advise these books not be read individually.

Favorite quote because it shows reinsertion of sanity--Hallelujah:

“He doesn’t need your apologies. He needs you to make him feel safe.”

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Guest Review: From Temptation (Deliver Us, #2) by Lynn Kelling

Sequel to Deliver Us:

Kyle Roth is no longer safe–not from his lover, not from his friends and, especially, not from himself. Questioning the choices that led him to a life of submission to the potentially dangerous Dominant, Ben Knox, Kyle sees no other way out than through old vices. Just when Kyle assumes all hope is lost he is saved by the persistence of an old enemy, Gabriel Hunter. Worse yet, a secret past withheld from Darrek–Kyle's friend and Gabriel's partner–threatens to destroy them all! 

(M/M - For content labels and excerpt, see details on publisher's site.)

Reviewed by Vivian

Crazy Train, Part II

The second book in the series takes the reader on another ride of incredibly hot sex and insanely messed up characters. Having read DELIVER US I can’t say I’m surprised by the trajectory of the story. In this book, we get to see Kyle and Darrek lives implode.

Is there anyone in this book who is not completely fucking, batshit crazy?  I like how the couples do it together, taking each other down liking drowning rats.

Ben's borderline and teetering with rage

Kyle's snapped and you can only put Humpty Dumpty back together again so many times. 

Darrek slides into darkness

Gabriel keep flipping on and off like a switch

If you enjoy soap operas with incestuous bed hopping, wild behaviors, shocking reveals, and dramatics—then you’ve found yourself Grade A quality stuff. Personally, I found this less engaging as there are similarities between the characters demons in books one and two. I won’t say it is a reboot, but there are strong parallels and it is more of a twist of the kaleidoscope.

Additionally, the sex while copious is less startlingly physical and plays a great deal more with the psychological which I enjoyed, but combined with the blatantly bad idea fairy regarding the characters’ actions made it less enjoyable than just the voyeurism of the S&M—my preference, so reader satisfaction will vary.

The carousel wheel perspective of getting a scene from one of five characters is a bit much when combined with the POV shifts mid-paragraph. So prepare for disorientation. Again, not thrilled with BDSM being portrayed as something only practiced by those with serious mental conditions. Then again, I’m slightly disturbed by the book using horrific crimes for salacious purposes, too. Honestly, this book makes me contemplate why reading it?

I’m kinda torn between wanting to finish the third book because then the series is done—check mark. But the other part of me is already plotting out the last book, knowing there won’t be a ton of surprises since there’s been some foreshadowing this round regarding Micah. Hoping the series ends stronger since this was a bit of a lull even with all the machinations and shenanigans. What was shocking in DELIVER US doesn’t have the same punch; I blame it on desensitization.

Overall theme of the book can be summed up: 

I’m going to keep you safe—from your enemies, your friends, and yourself.

Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Guest Review: Deliver Us (Deliver Us, #1) by Lynn Kelling

Darrek thinks he is just a straight, hard-working but lonely guy. When he decides to try a session at the private BDSM club, Diadem, Darrek is unprepared for the life-changing encounter with beautiful, powerful and very male Dominant, Gabriel. Once they cross the line, nothing is off limits and nothing is enough as they crave ever more – more trust, more pleasure, more pain, and more devotion. Carefully buried secrets and abusive pasts are revealed in the chaos.

Novel (145,000 words)
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, BDSM

 

Reviewed by Vivian

Like anal beads through the hourglass, these are the gays in our life.

This was one epically HAWT story. Like Sexapoolza for S&M. One's gotta like some decent pain with a firm, but caring hand to enjoy this. The opening scene starts with some serious CBT, cock and ball torture. Cringe worthy. There's no warm up as one of the main characters, Darrek jumps straight into the deep end.

And this is where I had some of my first misgivings and perhaps alienated other readers. It's Darrek's first time visiting the club and frankly, it was a little loose with the safety rules. To be fair, Gabriel seems to respond immediately to Darrek's needs and safeword.

Now, I hope you like it spicy because the story just keeps on with the hits. Sadism continues with some intense figging which leads to a whole host of activities it explores: fisting, watersports, more fisting, needle play, barebacking, chastity, orgasm denial, prostate milking, medical play, sounding, anal beads, vacuum beds/mummification, mmmm...

So yeah, there's sex. Like a never-ending Chinese noodle box of sex. And, it is HOT. Trust me, if you're looking for sexy times, WINNER. Alright, I'm on board with the sexfest, but there is a weird disconnect in the tone of the book between embracing intense BDSM and the appropriate rules/actions and faux reality TV. There's a drama llama, telenovela quality to the crazy ride of Darrek and Gabriel and their counterpoints, Kyle and Ben. I also had issues with moments where the characters' speech and actions were not ringing male.

And I’ve let Ben—my Master—I’ve let him do things to me. I was trying to save some stuff, some parts of myself, for you, even though, logically, I knew I’d never have you.

“Just ignore me,” Kyle grins, wiping at his eyes. “Must be my time of the month and hearing your awesome love story.”

Then there's the head hopping conga--Everybody join in. The tennis match POV makes multiple appearances. At some point, even good sex is... enough already. I like sex, but this is nonstop let's throw in everything including cleaning the cum out of your ass in the kitchen sink--seriously. Editing, this would have benefitted from aggressive editing. Some flashbacks are unnecessary and just there's just too much. This book is over 400 pages and could have easily cut 25% and felt tighter. It's an inelegant sprawl.

Now come some of my personal peeves. I have major issues with persons using toys/equipment that they've never used that are dangerous and potentially lethal. I have major issues with characters playing psychiatrist, especially since they know they're messing with Gabe when they're doing it. I am also not thrilled with the implication that persons who want to practice these sorts of activities have some mental disorder. Individual reader aggravation will vary.

So, when it came to rating this story I had a difficult time. How do I judge it? Pure entertainment value, it is 5 stars for the plentiful and creative sex if I think of this as fantasy erotica. If I judged this as a contemporary erotic romance it would be closer to 2 stars. I think reader expectations really determine whether or not one will enjoy this and since it straddles two sub-genres that makes it complicated.

That said, the content of the scenes are ridiculously hot and play into fantasies well and as long as one views it as a HBO show and not reality, it works.