The First Real Thing by Cat Grant
Stars: 3/5
Length: 123 pages
Blurb
My name’s Cameron. And I’m a male escort. I’m the best, and most expensive, at what I do. I have one rule—never let anyone in.
In five years of hooking I’ve never picked up the wrong guy. But when I met Toronto ad man Trevor Barclay in a Manhattan bar, his soft green eyes and shy smile drew me right in. When I discovered the error I had made, I should have written it off as a mistake and moved on. But memories of the steamy encounter we shared in his hotel room continued to haunt me.
I never should have agreed to see him again, but from that very first night he worked his way under my skin and into my heart. I can’t stop thinking about him. But how can I tell him the first man he’s been with in sixteen years sells himself for a living?
Overall
A nice mix of sweet and funny with a touch of angst. It may not bring anything new to the table, but it gives a great telling that will tug the heartstrings when you’re not chuckling.
Review
This was a sweet and generally humorous story (as in there are a good number of one-liners, the plot itself wasn't funny). The blogger format worked well for it and there were good reasons for the blogging format, both in the front end and the back end. Of course, the format also didn't feel terribly realistic, as certain parts were too detailed to have been written after the fact, but I marked that down with the hand-wavium of storytelling.
I liked how several threads of plot all came together in the end, drawing on side moments that seem like nothing but result in the climactic conflict. The conflict worked perfectly for the story, although the core of it is rather predictable. The emotional turmoil was great, and while the resolution seemed a little too easy, it also seemed reasonable, so again, I was willing to let it slide.
If you're looking for a classic rentboy-falls-in-love story, then this will probably have everything you need. Otherwise, it's an enjoyable read that didn't blow my socks off, but didn't bore me either.
Showing posts with label cat grant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat grant. Show all posts
22.2.12
Power Play: Resistance by Cat Grant and Rachel Haimowitz
Power Play: Resistance by Cat Grant and Rachel HaimowitzNo star rating, since I read this for work
Length: 90,000 words
Blurb
Brandon McKinney has scraped and sacrificed for what little in life he’s ever had. Though it’s been fifteen years since he escaped his father’s abuse, the damage remains. Trust seems as far out of reach as his dream of becoming an architect, and though he’s come to accept being gay, he can’t deny the shame and confusion he feels at other urges—the deeply-repressed desire to submit.
Jonathan Watkins is a self-made Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-wife took half his money and even more of his faith. Comfortable as a Dominant but wary of being hurt again, he resorts to anonymous pickups and occasional six-month contracts with subs seeking only a master, not a lover.
When a sizzling back-alley encounter cues Jonathan in to Brandon’s deep-seated submissive side, he makes the man an offer: Give me six months of your life, and I’ll open your eyes to a whole new world. Brandon doesn’t care about that; all he wants is the three million dollars Jonathan’s offering so he can buy the construction company he works for. But he soon learns that six months on his knees is no easy feat, and shame and pride may keep him from all he ever wanted—and all he never dreamed he had any right to have.
Overall
Warning: Hardcore. While consent is clearly established and frequently reaffirmed, some moments push hard against the outer edges of consent.
So, um, wow. A hard-core BDSM novel that revolves around one man's desire to explore and expose another man's submissive and masochistic side. This isn't just another "OMG, I'm totally a sub!" story, as Bran and Jonathan struggle through a series of issues. Heavy and sometimes dark, this isn't for the light of heart, but for those who want to explore a more intense (physically and psychologically) level of BDSM, this would be something to check out.
Despite moments of extreme discomfort that I had with this book and its events, I continued on, needing to know what was going to happen and how things would work out. I was richly rewarded, and I hope you will be too!
I am affiliated with Riptide Publishing. I read this for work.
Labels:
bdsm,
book review,
cat grant,
m/m,
rachel haimowitz,
Riptide,
series
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