JA Rock

Love in the Wild: SLAVE HUNT–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a sexy BDSM romance from JA Rock. SLAVE HUNT is the fifth book in the Subs Club series and needs to be read after at least SOME of the previous Subs Club books for it to make any sense. It’s a BDSM series, though there is little actual BDSM in the book. I really liked MANTIES IN A TWIST and 24/7, so I was eager to catch up with my kinky friends!

slave-huntAbout the book:
Thirty people. Two hours. Only the strong will survive.

When Riddle decides to put on a slave hunt, the Subs Club is on board. Tops hunting bottoms in the woods with paintball guns? Yes. Captives strung up on whipping posts, at the mercy of their captors? Hell yes. But on the morning of the hunt, nothing’s going according to plan. Miles and Drix are at odds over Miles’s reluctance to move in together. Dave is determined to show up D, who thinks Dave won’t last two minutes in the woods. Gould finds himself torn between obeying his master’s orders and living out a longtime fantasy. And Kamen inadvertently becomes a double agent when he aligns himself with two different parties.

By the end of the hunt, alliances will be forged and broken, loyalties will be tested, relationships will be strengthened…and someone will barrel roll. Narrated by ten different characters, Slave Hunt tells the story of two hours in the woods that will change everyone forever. Or at least, remind them that love is the greatest victory of all.

My Review:
It’s a free-for-all sub hunt in the wild, and it’s really a sweet and tender tie-up of plot lines/relationships that extend all four Subs Club stories. To sum up: D and Dave live together, but they have some issues because D is older, and Dave is insecure–feels as if he can’t do anything on his own. Drix (a vampyre) and Miles are a couple, and on the verge of cohabitation, but Miles is afraid to change anything–not when he has a 7 year old son that he’s adopted. Ryan and Kamen are a totes-in-love couple who have a major kink for Kamen in manties. And Gould is the slave of Kel, who is married to Greg and they have a menage relationship–but is it copacetic?

Kel and Greg, owners of the Dungeon they all attend, have arranged a kinky “slave hunt” on a patch of property owned by D. Masters hunt a field of slaves, and get to have their wicked kinky ways with any they capture or shoot with their paintball guns. It’s, essentially, a very kinky MOST DANGEROUS GAME. Those slaves who are captured are fair game for fondling and scening back at base camp, but some also have given permission for on-the-spot ravishment. Kel, Greg and a few other are wandering the woods with snacks, drinks, condoms, sunscreen, and lube. Let the Sexy Games begin, and may the pine needles be ever out of your orifices…

Dave, dismayed that D might think him helpless, has sought D’s help learning how to be stealthy. But, being alone in the woods makes him want to give up and find his man. They have made a wager on the likelihood of D catching Dave within the time limit.  Miles and Drix are only out for the gift cards they could win for being the Best Hunter, and Uncaptured Slave. It’s acomplication that another Dom who has an affinity for Miles is part of the hunt. Ryan and Kamen are out for fun and sexytimes, natch. Will a bottle of hot sauce spell and end to their plans of mantie ravishing? Gould has been given instructions from Kel, his Master, not to get caught–or risk her punishment. But will he risk her wrath in order to save his dearest friend?

It’s a sweet wrap on these four relationships. While wandering the woods, there’s lots of epiphanies, and Come-to-Jesus moments. And, there’s fun, too. It’s not as sexy a book as the premise suggests. There’s really only one true sex scene, and because it’s between Ryan and Kamen, it’s 90% fun and 25% hot. (I’m not so good with the numbers with these two…) That said, having a fresh look at all these guys after a year-ish of settling in with their Doms is nostalgic and lovely. In case anyone ever doubted, there are four happy endings here. Fans will be satisfied. Manties will be shamelessly displayed, relationships will be affirmed, and SHOUTY CAPS will be employed.  Hashtag: YUM.

Interested? You can find SLAVE HUNT on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including BY HIS RULES, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, and, with Lisa Henry, THE GOOD BOY and WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEEPS. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

You can catch up with her online on her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Delving Deep Into BDSM 24/7–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new BDSM drama/romance in the Subs Clubs series by J.A. Rock. 24/7 is the fourth book in this series and relates the healing and heartache of Gould, a man plagued by regret over the loss of his friend, and ex-lover, Hal–still, three years later. I really loved MANTIES WITH A TWIST, so I was eager to read this one.

24/7 (The Subs Club, #4)About the book:
We started the Subs Club to make the kink community safer for subs. Except now the others are so busy chasing their happy endings, it’s like they’ve forgotten what Bill did to Hal and the fact that he got away with it. They used to think I was betraying Hal’s memory by hooking up with the owners of the club where he died. Now they don’t seem to care about any of it anymore.

Maybe I am sometimes angry with GK and Kel for giving Bill a second chance, but they’ve been mentoring me for a year now, and whatever else they’ve done, they make me feel incredibly safe. So I want to try something: I want to offer them my complete submission, 24/7. To serve the people who forgave Bill. That’s the way I want to hurt.

Except I’m starting to care about them in a way I never meant to—and I think they feel the same way. But after Hal, I don’t know if I want to be in love again. Because what I really need, more than anything, is to see Bill brought to justice. Even if I have to do it myself. Even if it means losing GK and Kel.

—Gould

My Review:
This is the fourth book in a series, but I think it can still be enjoyed on its own. It is an adult book that features a M/F/M-ish type of relationship…it’s honestly hard to classify for reasons below.

4.5 stars.

Gould is a 28 year old Jewish man who knows he’s a submissive. He’s been in the BDSM scene for years now, and is one of the founding members of the Subs Club, a collection of four childhood friends who all practice BDSM, and are all male and all subs. It formed three years ago when Gould’s ex, Hal, also a sub, died by strangulation in a scene at a club owned by Kel and Greg–who are married. Kel is Greg’s Dom, and she’s a task master. Gould never forgave himself for breaking up with Hal, who was–admittedly–too into drugs and floundering. Hal and Gould had been tight; Hal was Gould’s first ever Dom, and Gould felt responsible for Hal dying–to a degree. He’s really still torqued off that the Dom who left Hal restrained in seclusion, Bill, got off on the second-degree murder charges while Gould pretty much struggles with his grief–almost daily.

At the beginning of the book Gould has been “playing with” Kel and Greg for several months. They are a heterosexual couple, but Kel enjoys having male playmates for Greg, and while Gred is her submissive, he is dominant to Gould. They have lots of kinky sexytimes, but the Gould really favors humiliation and loves being chastised. While roiling in his shamed subspace he’s able to commune with Hal’s spirit, and Hal’s inner voice is always putting him down, so that adds more shame for Gould to immerse himself in. He’s all about the shame.

I liked the way their relationship worked, in that Kel and Greg both embraced Gould, for the most part. Greg isn’t gay, and he isn’t bisexual, but he finds something very attractive in Gould, and is willing to share more and more of Kel with him. Gould’s always kept his feelings buried, but he knows he needs more from Kel, as a Dom, and he finally works up the nerve to ask if they can explore a M/s (Master/slave) dynamic. Kel trained as a Master, but never stuck with it due to the negative backlash she faced as a female. Gould’s request is a big temptation for her, and she and Greg decide to try this with Gould–for a week. Greg likes being submissive, but he doesn’t feel compelled to a 24/7 power exchange, like Gould craves. There are upsides, but Gould’s secrets regarding his depression over Hal and still-simmering rage at Bill complicate matters. Also, he knows that Kel and Greg have forgiven Bill–and have worked to rehabilitate him since Hal’s death–and that’s a big betrayal for Gould’s trust.

I’m not going to delve much deeper into the plot, but I liked the dynamic here. I felt Gould’s pain, his obsessive depression, and how sinking into sub-space really helped him to forget it for a time. Kel and Greg are fantastic partners to each other, and to Gould. Gould needs a lot of TLC, even if he won’t admit it, and Kel’s not a big fan of punishment. Plus, her brand of punishment is less about pain and more about humiliation, which works for Gould. Greg is staunchly het, but he’s also clearly attracted to Gould, which is nice. I’ve read a good big of BDSM, and this book is really less erotic and more intellectual. It’s all about the mind games, and tripping Gould out of his generally negative headspace. If you are looking for a gushing romance, this is not your book. (The only gushing that happens is rather gross, and completely humiliating to Gould, which satisfies his needs.) There is a quiet romance, of sorts, here; mainly it’s Gould asking for the love and attention he needs and both Kel and Greg stepping up to the plate. That was completely satisfying, even if it didn’t come with all heavy breathing and juicy moments. There is a lot of emotion to be had, which is why I even classify it as a “romance” of sorts…

As the series follows each of the four Subs Club members finding their forever Dom, I suppose this one marks the end. There is a significant sense of closure for the subs, as they all have mainly healed from the loss of Hal, and found happiness with their permanent partners, even Gould who gets the love, support and therapy he truly needs. This book was definitely darker than MANTIES WITH A TWIST, but it made sense that Hal’s bereaved ex, Gould, would have more trouble moving on. I loved the interaction with all the boys: Gould, Dave, Miles and Kamen. They are so loving and sweet to each other, in a purely platonic way.

Interested? You can find 24/7 on Goodreads, Riptide Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including BY HIS RULES, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, and, with Lisa Henry, THE GOOD BOY and WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEEPS. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

You can catch up with her online on her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Adulting in MANTIES WITH A TWIST–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a contemporary M/M BDSM book that it totes out there from J.A. Rock. MANTIES WITH A TWIST is an absotively posilutely entertaining ride through the brain of a (possibly ADHD) 27 y/o sub named Kamen who has finally begun adulting in earnest, by moving in with his boyfriend/Dom of 4 months, Ryan. I honestly cannot count the times I burst into chuckles, giggles and straight-up guffaws while reading this one.

Manties in a Twist (The Subs Club, #3)About the book:
Look, I’ll never stop missing Hal, but this Subs Club my friends started to review suck-ass doms isn’t gonna bring him back or give him justice. For me, it’s just another chance to hang out with my friends, even if they think I’m too dumb to understand the important work we’re supposedly doing.

But maybe I’m not as dumb as they think—at least I know when I’ve got a good thing going. Which is why I just moved in with my dom. Ryan’s awesome possum. He’s really short, never makes me feel stupid, and is up for anything. One word: costumes. Two more words: women’s underwear. We’re all about the lace, no leather.

Except when we do pony play. We first tried it as a joke, but turns out I’m ballin’ at it. Now PetPlayFest is coming up, and I wanna take down the Subs Club’s archrival, Cinnamon the ponygirl, in the horse show.

My friends think I’m spending too much time with Ryan and ignoring my obligations to the group. But since when is friendship an obligation? Ryan’s my first serious relationship, and I want to take it . . . seriously. At some point I need to think about my future, not my past.

—Kamen

My Review:
This is the third book in a series and I’ve not read the two previous, but that was fine. I slid right into Kamen’s head, which is an extremely busy, yet paradoxically simple, place.

Kamen is one of four childhood friends, and he’s still close to Dave, Miles and Gould–the other principals of the Subs Club. They started the club to raise awareness within their community about bad Doms and much of that was due to the death of their dear friend, and fellow sub Hal, who choked in a public rope-play scene. Dave and Gould are still traumatized by this, as is Miles and Kamen, but Miles and Kamen seem to be getting past the grief–which upsets Dave and Gould.

Kamen’s happy with his live-in Dom, Ryan, who is far smaller than Kamen, a burly athletic man. It’s part of Ryan’s attraction, actually, Kamen loves feeling like a dragon at the end of his diminutive Dom’s leash. I seriously dug their dynamic. Kamen is totally gaga for Ryan, and gets frustrated that his peers are not so enthusiastic. It was bittersweet for him, and I thought it poignantly reflected that break in life, where that first serious relationship intrudes and makes a person less-available for the “buds” than they have ever been before. That resentment was clear between Kamen’s bros and Ryan.

Within their apartment Kamen and Ryan indulge in play they have never considered previously. An errant pair of panties sparks a whole new level for them, with Kamen dabbling in not only manties but also drag. Then, a nasty altercation with ponygirl Cinnamon launches another new phase for them: pet play. (This type of play requires one of the partners to dress and act the part of an animal, while the other behaves as a trainer. It is not always sexual.) Cinnamon was present when Hal had died, and the Subs Club considers her to be Public Enemy #1, so joining the PetPlayFest competition with the intent to best Cinnamon at her own game is a vengeful step.

All of this seems odd and sordid, and I’ll be honest, it is and isn’t. It’s fun and free and flexible and still damn funny, because Kamen is a rock star and does absolutely nothing by halves. He’s never been into pet play but he dives in with and enthusiasm that is unquenchable. He and Ryan invest a ton of cash to purchase all the accoutrements, they build a cart (for the cart race, natch…) Kamen learns all about dressage and how to be the most graceful Thunder Canyon (that’s his stallion name, yo) that he can be.

Through all of this, Kamen has to come to terms with his mostly adult life, and it seems to work out. I had some Whoa! moments where Kamen’s awesome possum insight struck very close to the bone, and it made me love this book. The voice took me a bit of time to enjoy, because Kamen speaks like a twitter account, and I had to acclimate. After that, it was off to the races.

Interested? You can find MANTIES IN A TWIST on Goodreads, Riptide Publishing, Amazon, AllRomance, Barnes & Noble, Kobo , and iBooks. I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley.

About the Author:
J.A. Rock is the author of queer romance and suspense novels, including BY HIS RULES, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, and, with Lisa Henry, THE GOOD BOY and WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEEPS. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Alabama and a BA in theater from Case Western Reserve University. J.A. also writes queer fiction and essays under the name Jill Smith. Raised in Ohio and West Virginia, she now lives in Chicago with her dog, Professor Anne Studebaker.

You can catch up with her online on her website, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!