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Teague Albright, a small-town university president, didn't think much about the little submissive that he used one night at a local club. But when he later encounters the same young man, who has been abandoned by his top and thrown out of their residence, Teague's protective instincts go into their usual patterns and the "Albright Sub Rescue Agency" is open once again.
But Ian McClean is more than just another kid to help, and he gets to Teague in a way none of the other "rescues" have. Teague wants to keep the boy, but all he's heard from other people, and even Ian himself, is that Ian's nothing but a grifter and a slut who lives off the men he gloms onto. External threats and internal tensions threaten to break them apart as the year wears down.
Yet as Ian learns and works and eventually proves himself, Teague discovers that anyone can indeed change...even him...
Gay / Contemporary / BDSM
78 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2011
79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 28, 2012
This book makes me feel like a puppy with an unpredictable and contradictory owner.
The book takes two basic but contradictory premises and shuffles them together:
1) That Ian keeps leaving his Doms.
and
2) That Ian keeps being abandoned by his Doms.
Teague finds Ian wandering the streets and takes him in, as he has done in the past for other abandoned subs. Ian's old Dom, Derek, comes to reclaim him. When Teague refuses, Derek says, "Little bastard was going to use me and dump me like he always does... I betcha that bitch gave you the starving puppy routine and you fell for it . . .Don't feel bad, man, I fell for it too. Under those big blue eys and those soft lips, his heart is a cash register" (19-20%).
Now I assumed that was Derek being bitter: it is clearly made up. However the story then goes on as if everyone, including Ian, knows it to be fact.
Ian tells Teague "I have run. I've run away from every major event in my life. I ran away from home rather than tell my folks I was gay. I ran away from hard thought and got an easy degree. I ran away from work and got a series of shit jobs. I ran away from men who loved me, moving on or letting them turn me out" (79%).
(Now, maybe it's just me, but putting yourself through a political science degree without any financial support from your parents does not sound like someone running away and taking the "path of least resistance", as Ian puts it. The allegation that political science is an "easy degree" I won't even comment on.)
Ian also writes that part of him panics at the idea that Teague wants him to stay, "really stay, not just for a few months or even a year or two" (33%) This seems supported by Ian's hesitation at Teague's offer of a permanent r/ship at 83%: "Want to make it permanent?" Teague asked, kissing Ian's neck. ..."I never thought I'd have that offered. May I think on it?"
Teague's actions reinforce his expectation that Ian will leave. He won't let Ian call him Master, and he says "I can't give you [all the BDSM scenes Ian wants] without some emotional investment on my part. And I don't want my heart broken when you run away ... to make you what I want, what we both want, I would need to see that you want to stay with me, long term. So I will be watching, and you will have to show me" (56%).
After Ian protects Teague from knife-wielding thugs, Teague states he expected Ian to run away rather than defend him:
"I love you. What else could I do?"
"Run."
The small, simple word hung between them, feeling as cold as the icepack Teague was still pressing to his face. Ian washed himself in silence and then stepped out to dry.
When Ian doesn't come back from the grocery store, Teague thinks to himself Ungrateful little bitch. Why had he taken Ian in, when he knew the kid was a grifter? Used and left, like the others.
However, the book also posits, equally, that the opposite is true: that Ian is a sub who has been abandoned by his Doms and who expects to be abandoned by Teague too. Ian has had four Doms before Teague. He tells Teague this, and he also names them in his diary (67%); Todd, Brad, Mark, and Derek.
Derek kicked Ian out, and Teague found him wandering the street homeless.
Mark, as we find out at the end of the book
Either Todd or Brad let Ian go, because he was offered another sub to train for pay.
This leaves only one Dom, Brad/Todd, which Ian could possibly have left.
Ian also writes in his diary, So, diary, we're here. Teague has offered me a permanent place. I know how these usually go. He'll keep me a year or two and then when someone better comes along, I'm back on the street.
This split between the two paradigms makes the book weird and jumpy.
Even small details in the story are contradictory. When Ian leaves the grocery store without buying any groceries, because of the harrassing clerk, Teague says, on arrival home, "Boy, why is my house dark and my kitchen cold. I don't smell supper" (67%). Instead they make dinner reservations, for 8pm. Ian then says "That's five hours away, Sir...I'm dying to strip down right now and crawl to you and lick your boots". So it was three in the afternoon, and Teague is bitching about a dark house and no dinner cooking?
It's confusing that Teague lets Ian call him Master sometimes, but admonishes him at others. He seems to make committments to Ian, but then later we get the impression there is no committment, or a new committment is made.
The book concludes when Ian tells Teague "I need to tell you something before you go... I love you, Teague" (99%). This is supposed to be the big reveal; what Teague has been waiting for all this time, to prove that Ian won't run off. But Ian already told him this way back at 79%, after the knife-wielding thug incident (see quote above).
The story is not long enough for the authors to develop a plot whereby both premise 1 and 2 are true. Nor am I convinced that the authors have the skills in characterisation to make both, contradictory, storylines co-exist. This is a very short story, and it needed to be simple. Either Ian has committment issues and Teague wins him over, or Ian keeps being abandonedd, and Teague gives him a forever home. Pick one.
The book takes two basic but contradictory premises and shuffles them together:
1) That Ian keeps leaving his Doms.
and
2) That Ian keeps being abandoned by his Doms.
Teague finds Ian wandering the streets and takes him in, as he has done in the past for other abandoned subs. Ian's old Dom, Derek, comes to reclaim him. When Teague refuses, Derek says, "Little bastard was going to use me and dump me like he always does... I betcha that bitch gave you the starving puppy routine and you fell for it . . .Don't feel bad, man, I fell for it too. Under those big blue eys and those soft lips, his heart is a cash register" (19-20%).
Now I assumed that was Derek being bitter: it is clearly made up. However the story then goes on as if everyone, including Ian, knows it to be fact.
Ian tells Teague "I have run. I've run away from every major event in my life. I ran away from home rather than tell my folks I was gay. I ran away from hard thought and got an easy degree. I ran away from work and got a series of shit jobs. I ran away from men who loved me, moving on or letting them turn me out" (79%).
(Now, maybe it's just me, but putting yourself through a political science degree without any financial support from your parents does not sound like someone running away and taking the "path of least resistance", as Ian puts it. The allegation that political science is an "easy degree" I won't even comment on.)
Ian also writes that part of him panics at the idea that Teague wants him to stay, "really stay, not just for a few months or even a year or two" (33%) This seems supported by Ian's hesitation at Teague's offer of a permanent r/ship at 83%: "Want to make it permanent?" Teague asked, kissing Ian's neck. ..."I never thought I'd have that offered. May I think on it?"
Teague's actions reinforce his expectation that Ian will leave. He won't let Ian call him Master, and he says "I can't give you [all the BDSM scenes Ian wants] without some emotional investment on my part. And I don't want my heart broken when you run away ... to make you what I want, what we both want, I would need to see that you want to stay with me, long term. So I will be watching, and you will have to show me" (56%).
After Ian protects Teague from knife-wielding thugs, Teague states he expected Ian to run away rather than defend him:
"I love you. What else could I do?"
"Run."
The small, simple word hung between them, feeling as cold as the icepack Teague was still pressing to his face. Ian washed himself in silence and then stepped out to dry.
When Ian doesn't come back from the grocery store, Teague thinks to himself Ungrateful little bitch. Why had he taken Ian in, when he knew the kid was a grifter? Used and left, like the others.
However, the book also posits, equally, that the opposite is true: that Ian is a sub who has been abandoned by his Doms and who expects to be abandoned by Teague too. Ian has had four Doms before Teague. He tells Teague this, and he also names them in his diary (67%); Todd, Brad, Mark, and Derek.
Derek kicked Ian out, and Teague found him wandering the street homeless.
Mark, as we find out at the end of the book
Either Todd or Brad let Ian go, because he was offered another sub to train for pay.
This leaves only one Dom, Brad/Todd, which Ian could possibly have left.
Ian also writes in his diary, So, diary, we're here. Teague has offered me a permanent place. I know how these usually go. He'll keep me a year or two and then when someone better comes along, I'm back on the street.
This split between the two paradigms makes the book weird and jumpy.
Even small details in the story are contradictory. When Ian leaves the grocery store without buying any groceries, because of the harrassing clerk, Teague says, on arrival home, "Boy, why is my house dark and my kitchen cold. I don't smell supper" (67%). Instead they make dinner reservations, for 8pm. Ian then says "That's five hours away, Sir...I'm dying to strip down right now and crawl to you and lick your boots". So it was three in the afternoon, and Teague is bitching about a dark house and no dinner cooking?
It's confusing that Teague lets Ian call him Master sometimes, but admonishes him at others. He seems to make committments to Ian, but then later we get the impression there is no committment, or a new committment is made.
The book concludes when Ian tells Teague "I need to tell you something before you go... I love you, Teague" (99%). This is supposed to be the big reveal; what Teague has been waiting for all this time, to prove that Ian won't run off. But Ian already told him this way back at 79%, after the knife-wielding thug incident (see quote above).
The story is not long enough for the authors to develop a plot whereby both premise 1 and 2 are true. Nor am I convinced that the authors have the skills in characterisation to make both, contradictory, storylines co-exist. This is a very short story, and it needed to be simple. Either Ian has committment issues and Teague wins him over, or Ian keeps being abandonedd, and Teague gives him a forever home. Pick one.
March 27, 2011
3.5 stars
I really liked the first half of this book, then the sub seemed to change and I had trouble understanding him. He was well trained and quite submissive but then became demanding and topped from the bottom quite a bit. This wouldn't have been a problem if the dom had reacted or noticed instead of being led by the nose for a while. Near the end, things settled back into a comfy tale.
Over all, I like the story.
I really liked the first half of this book, then the sub seemed to change and I had trouble understanding him. He was well trained and quite submissive but then became demanding and topped from the bottom quite a bit. This wouldn't have been a problem if the dom had reacted or noticed instead of being led by the nose for a while. Near the end, things settled back into a comfy tale.
Over all, I like the story.
February 21, 2011
4.5 stars. Very good kinky m/m romance about a university president who takes in a sub whose top kicked him out with not much more than the clothes on his back.
February 21, 2011
This was really awesome story. The plot developed slowly and enjoyable. I liked the two men and they were great couple. Their relationship was builded with care, time and love. Really great dom/sub story.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !
October 30, 2012
Realism in lifestyle BDSM
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- The basic concept of the story is sweet: that a sub savior like Teague might finally find his own submissive among the cast-offs he rescues.
- When Teague first spots Ian out on his own after having encountered him once before at a club, Teague decides to steal Ian away. Part of me couldn’t help thinking that Teague was displaying an appalling lack of manners, but most of me smiled and settled in to watch a nice bit of poaching. We already know at that point that Ian’s Top doesn’t deserve him anyway. (see cons below also)
- Sparrow and Brooks are good at conveying meaning concisely. Within two sentences, they had endeared poor Ian to me and made me want to cuddle him and offer him all the protection in the world. The authors also do a good job of showing several months’ worth of activity in a limited amount of space. The story is only 1028 Kindle locations, yet it doesn’t seem rushed when it relates the passing of seasons.
- There’s no black and white “ILoveYou, ILoveYouToo” exchange in this story as there are in so many. The relationship has a realistic back-and-forth motion from start to finish, with moments of elation mixed moments of confusion and doubt.
CONS:
- In spite of liking Teague for the most part, I was a bit uncomfortable with how sneaky he is at times. But then, one could argue that he’s at liberty to do whatever he wants to/with a submissive in his care.
- I got a little frustrated at Ian’s habit of keeping his concerns and frustrations hidden from Teague.
Overall comments: This story shows D/s training that struck me as true-to-life, whereas a lot of BDSM stories focus on only the hot stuff--the bedroom action. The parts of this that deal with behavior modification are well done, and overall it came off as a more realistic depiction of the 24/7 D/s lifestyle than most.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- The basic concept of the story is sweet: that a sub savior like Teague might finally find his own submissive among the cast-offs he rescues.
- When Teague first spots Ian out on his own after having encountered him once before at a club, Teague decides to steal Ian away. Part of me couldn’t help thinking that Teague was displaying an appalling lack of manners, but most of me smiled and settled in to watch a nice bit of poaching. We already know at that point that Ian’s Top doesn’t deserve him anyway. (see cons below also)
- Sparrow and Brooks are good at conveying meaning concisely. Within two sentences, they had endeared poor Ian to me and made me want to cuddle him and offer him all the protection in the world. The authors also do a good job of showing several months’ worth of activity in a limited amount of space. The story is only 1028 Kindle locations, yet it doesn’t seem rushed when it relates the passing of seasons.
- There’s no black and white “ILoveYou, ILoveYouToo” exchange in this story as there are in so many. The relationship has a realistic back-and-forth motion from start to finish, with moments of elation mixed moments of confusion and doubt.
CONS:
- In spite of liking Teague for the most part, I was a bit uncomfortable with how sneaky he is at times. But then, one could argue that he’s at liberty to do whatever he wants to/with a submissive in his care.
- I got a little frustrated at Ian’s habit of keeping his concerns and frustrations hidden from Teague.
Overall comments: This story shows D/s training that struck me as true-to-life, whereas a lot of BDSM stories focus on only the hot stuff--the bedroom action. The parts of this that deal with behavior modification are well done, and overall it came off as a more realistic depiction of the 24/7 D/s lifestyle than most.
March 23, 2012
I know virtually nothing about a D/s life-style except for what I've read. There are aspects to this way of life that appeal to me; there are others that do not. In Ian and Teague's case I had mixed feelings. In my most humble opinion, Ian's treatment by previous Doms was abuse plain and simple. I can understand Ian having difficulty coming to that conclusion but I was surprised (and a bit disheartened) by Teague's rather cavalier response when confronted with the knowledge.
I did very much like the dynamic between the two MCs. Ian, while aching to please, still realized that he needed to learn more about himself if he didn't want to repeat the same behaviours and mistakes. And I appreciated that Teague gave him the time he needed to really know what he wanted before cementing a commitment. I also understood the need for Teague to protect himself from the broken heart that was sure to follow if Ian's decisions were not for the long-term.
A most enjoyable read.
Disclaimer: My copy of this book was a contest win.
I did very much like the dynamic between the two MCs. Ian, while aching to please, still realized that he needed to learn more about himself if he didn't want to repeat the same behaviours and mistakes. And I appreciated that Teague gave him the time he needed to really know what he wanted before cementing a commitment. I also understood the need for Teague to protect himself from the broken heart that was sure to follow if Ian's decisions were not for the long-term.
A most enjoyable read.
Disclaimer: My copy of this book was a contest win.
May 29, 2011
3-3.5 stars. Good story that kept me interested the whole time. I did feel like Teague was a little smug at times without knowing much of Ian's background (and not letting him say anything bad about his other Doms).
April 18, 2015
I liked it, but Like a another reviewer stated, the external conflict didn’t work. It felt like it was there to add another layer of depth, but all it did was take away from the story. Recommended if you like D/s.
February 22, 2015
Very much enjoyed this book. Good story and I like the relationship between the leads.
May 9, 2012
I did not enjoy this at all 0_0
February 20, 2011
Enjoyable story although Ian got on my nerves a bit towards the second half of the story.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews