At 22, rancher Wyatt Malone sacrificed almost everything, including the Dom he served and loved, to raise his younger brothers. Now, with the ranch running well, his grown up siblings surprise him with a trip to a Caribbean paradise and a date from Madame Evangeline's 1Night Stand. Taking his courage in hand, he fills out an application that bares his soul for a single night of surrender to a nearly forgotten passion. Rafael is a Dom without a sub. His desires exceed the available men in the dungeon he frequents and memories of rejected love keep him aloof. Can the submission of a Montana cowboy free him or will the date be nothing more than another meaningless scene?
V.S. Morgan has lived all over the United States but now calls Minnesota home. She incorporates her travels and experiences into her stories whenever possible. V.S. dreamed of becoming an author from the tender age of eleven after snagging one of her mom’s Harlequins. She writes contemporary, suspense, and paranormal m/m and m/f with heart and heat.
This was the author's first book and it was fairly short at 459 Kindle locations. She could've given us a bit more background because this felt like I was missing out on things. A few more details and the story would've been richer, more developed.
The two MCs were nice and I liked their chemistry. Will I continue with the series? Probably not. Not even sure if there are other books in the series yet.
A romantic short story, if a bit disjointed. Most of the action takes place over one night, with a epilogue several months (?) later. There was a heck of a lot that went on between that night and the epilogue, and without it the story was only kind of so-so.
The BDSM is super-light, and this would be a nice, sweet, newbie story.
I love stories about reunions, and this one is special; it made my inner romantic very happy. Too often life gets in the way of great relationships, but when it is one of the partners who sacrifices his own happiness to take care of his younger siblings, I cannot help but feel that he is especially deserving of a reward.
Wyatt has been an amazing brother and raised his younger brothers single-handedly after his parents died. Ten years is a long time to be alone, and I was with Madame Eve (her of 1Night Stand fame) when I rooted for Wyatt to finally find happiness. He left his Dom, and the entire lifestyle behind when he returned to Montana, and hopes to find some of that magic again, even if it is only for 1 night.
Rafael is a Dom who has lost his way – if only emotionally. Physically he is up for the challenge of giving a night of pleasure to a sub, except, he wants more than just another one-night stand. He has heard good things about Madame Eve’s services and he is determined to find out if what he hopes to get from this one night might be more than just a one-time thing.
If you like romantic stories with the spiciness of some D/s play, if two hot men spending a no-holds-barred night in an exotic hotel in the Caribbean is what you want to read about, and if you believe that Fate sometimes does get it right, you will probably like this story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Decadent Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Loved it! A sweet and sultry interracial second chance between a Dom and his sub. The BDSM is light, but they do spend a lot of time catching up and wishing that they had more than one night.
Wyatt was 22 years old when he had to leave Rafael to go home and care for his younger brothers and the ranch after his parents died in an accident. He never stopped loving his Dom and missing what they had. His brothers want him to have a special birthday gift after all he has done for them.
Rafael was heartbroken when Wyatt left even though he understood and even though it will be just the one night, he wants to be the one with Wyatt. He should have swallowed his pride and not let Wyatt walk away. Dare he hope that this is their second chance?
It was hot and these two guys were both very sexy, but the tone of the story is a sweet reunion.
This is a good short BDSM story that features and surprise reunion of a sub and his Dom. I always like these stories - some better than others. This was a particularly good one because of the second chance aspect. I liked both characters and it was sweet and hot and romantic.
What can I say about the 1Night Stand series other than go and grab one or more and enjoy the ride! They are all short, but they pack a whole lot of story into that short space! The Gift by V. S. Morgan is no different.
Wyatt Malone’s life in New York with his Dom came to an abrupt and sudden end when his parents died and he had to assume responsibility of the family ranch and his younger brothers. He was devastated leaving his Dom, just as his Dom was devastated to find the discarded collar. These two had had a life together and built a history but it was all gone in the blink of an eye.
To help celebrate his birthday, his brothers have got together and arranged a 1Night Stand with the help of Madame Eve who runs the agency that has never yet failed to fulfill the desires of the individuals who come to her seeking so many things – love, companionship, another chance…
Wyatt doesn’t know it yet, but he will have another chance with his Dom – Rafael. Can he do it? Can he give himself back to his love for one night and walk away the next morning and go back to the ranch? Or will this be the start of something new for both of them?
The coming together of these two very masculine and powerful males was beautiful and yet also when I took a deep breath in anticipation of what was to come. What followed was foreplay for the main event and two men discovering each other again and finding out that though they had aged and changed, things were still the same between them.
I liked the fact that Rafael admitted that he should have come after Wyatt, but had been too stubborn and that his behavior as a Dom had stopped both of them from experiencing something wonderful in the bedroom. These two making love was as sensual as it was raunchy. I also found intriguing the fact that Wyatt was a sub. I had never read about a male sub before and found Wyatt and his behaviour eye openingThat breath I took - I think almost held it until I released it in a long sigh after Rafael found the picture. It was also an emotionally charged read and I appreciated that in this short space, Ms. Morgan was able to pack so much in to make this a story definitely worth reading!
I have read a lot of books that purport to be representations of the Dom/sub culture, but not being in the lifestyle, have no idea if this is reality or a liberty the writer has taken. In this story I wasn’t sure about the sub to slave transformation in the relationship, but that does not reflect at all on the writer who has done such a fantastic job depicting two former lovers coming together and discovering each other again.
I loved this story and you will too, so get yourself a copy of The Gift by V.S. Morgan as soon as you can!
Reviewed by Stacey Jo: Rafael was his Dom all those years ago that he had to leave but Rafael has never been able to forget Wyatt. When Madame Evangeline contacts the people in Wyatt’s old D/s life for a reference, Rafael sets it up so that he can be the Dom that Wyatt is set up with. When Wyatt arrives at the resort and sees that he’s with Rafael, he’s understandably taken aback but very happy.They have their night together, but for a BDSM story, it’s very vanilla.Honestly, if someone wanted to read BDSM for the first time, this would be a good one to start at. It’s extremely light as far as BDSM goes.
The story ends with an epilogue that starts a year later.They’ve stayed in contact with each other and their relationship has grown. In the end, Rafael presents Wyatt with a very special gift and we get a really sweet HEA.
This was a sweet, lighter BDSM story with a really nice HEA.It’s 34 pages so it a very quick read. Both guys are very like able. It was well written for a short story.
A short, sexy and sweet (tried to think of a better word than sweet but couldnt) read. The plot is that the two MC's meet 10yrs after splitting when Wayne left to look after his brothers after his parents died. Rafael hasnt been able to forget him. The reunion is lovely, not too strong on the BDSM. The epilogue gives us our happy ending. A lot packed into a v short read - a nice lunch hour or bedtime read, and certainly left me wanting to fill in the gaps before the reunion and the epilogue - always a good sign when you keep thinking about characters days after the read is over.
Reread 21.4.15 : still a damn good read packed in a small package!
I’d give just about anything (or beg very nicely) to have a longer novella or full length novel about these two guys! This is their reunion story and it was awesome despite being very short. I can only imagine that their back story would be even better. I love the Dom/sub dynamic and gift of power exchange. Both of these men were strong, which made the gift of submission that much more electric. But, the heart of it for me was their connection – the underlying love and trust. Beautiful! Please, dear author, won’t you consider expanding this awesome debut to give us more of Rafael and Wyatt? Pretty please??
In this M/M short story the author tries to mix romance and BDSM and, while the romance part is satisfying, the BDSM remains a foreign body in the narrative. I feel the problem is not having allowed Rafael to be openly affectionate, which is rather refreshing, but that Wyatt simply looks like a guy who just needs a long, hearty hug. Having failed to struck the intended balance, this story is not successful even if writing is fluid.
This is a very romantic story. The two men are strong alpha males, taking care of others before themselves. And when it comes to each other, they feel empty when they're apart. Ten years passed since they were together, and when Madame Eve reunites them, the spark is still there. A great story!
I generally do not like to read short stories. They usually seem very rushed, with little thought at all put into creating an actual story. This was such a pleasant surprise.
The Gift is V.S. Morgan's debut publication. It is a 1 Night Stand, multicultural and M/M story about a reunited Dom and his Sub.
I have mixed feelings about this read. It was very well written and easy to follow. However, the reason it got a 4 from me was because the epilogue thrilled me. Let me break my thoughts about The Gift down for you.
What delighted me...
The characters ~ Both Wyatt and Rafael seemed like genuinely good guys. Their characters were nicely developed for such a short read.
The romance ~ Since this story was about a reunion I'm glad that the bond between the men was so easily felt. Wyatt's fear of disappointing Rafael was cute because it was all nervous, excited energy. Though his affection was nominal, Rafael's aloofness showed the bruised heart that Wyatt's leaving created. It made me think of that quote "If you love someone, set them free.If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were."
The last sex scene of their date ~ I can't really say much about this without spoilers. Let's just say that the switch melted me.
The epilogue ~ This is an erotic romance so of course they get a HEA. The thing is, this was a 1 Night Stand story so the HEA didn't come until a year later. I actually liked the year long gap in the story timeline. The mystery of what happened during the year let my mind conjure up all sorts of things LOL. Also, I basically had a silly little smile on my face while reading it.
The BDSM world ~ Though in actuality the BDSM in this story was "light", I liked it more than the BDSM in other stories. V.S. Morgan was able to show affection in her D/s relationship and I often feel a lack of that in this genre.
What disappointed me...
The hotness ~ Plainly said, The Gift needed more heat. The actions were hot but they didn't really get my juices flowin' ya know? I think that V.S. is still developing her rhythm when it comes to her love scenes. She shows great promise though.
Rafael as a Dom ~ I didn't feel this. Perhaps Rafael was going easy on Wyatt for sentimental reasons. I just envisioned him as a sterner Dom. I felt let down by his performance.
All in all The Gift is a great read. V.S. Morgan can be proud of her publishing debut! I for one, am looking forward to her future works.
In the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." Well in the case of Decadent Publishing's 1 Night Stand Series, you know with each read that you'll get a highly emotional story that gets right to the sexy heart of the story. And just like the addictive quality of chocolate, once you read one story you'll want to try another.
The Gift is a story about sacrificing love and happiness for family and with the character of Wyatt setting aside his life to take care of his siblings and family farm after the death of his parents, that point is profoundly heartwrenching. Thanks to his brothers and the services of Madame Evangeline's 1 Night Stand, Wyatt's unexpectedly reunited with his former Dom and the man who still holds his heart, Rafael. After a night where all his burdens are taken away, Wyatt again prepares himself to let go of Rafael. Maybe this time he'll decide that he's better off sharing his burdens rather than doing everything on his own?
This story relies on the perceived preexisting connection between Wyatt and Rafael. This leads to a rather superficial view of these men but allows the action to get underway quite quickly. For a Dom/Sub story it's very lite on the BDSM elements. Considering how sought after Rafael is within the community, I expected someone much more domineering. Rafael was very gentle though and showed a very emotional side when he was with Wyatt. I liked how he took care of the hard working, self-sacrificing Wyatt, but was disappointed he didn't live up to his reputation. He and Wyatt were a sexy team and the romantic gestures made by each spoke louder than words as to their real feelings and made for a sweet, perfectly tied with a bow, ending.
This was a pleasantly written afternoon interlude that like Calgon, takes you away from it all. The characters are enjoyable and the author's writing style makes for a nicely flowing story. I wish there'd been more substance to the characters to fully immerse me in this dream-like story, but there's great promise in this story that has me intrigued to read more from this author.
This is the first story I've read in the one night stand series. The premise is fun and interesting. People who are interested in meeting their soul mates pay an exorbitant amount of money to Madame Evangeline who seems to always find the perfect pairings. They agree to a 1 Night stand with their potential significant other and leave the details to the Madame and her agency.
Wyatt Malone seeks Mdme Evangeline's services after 10 years of working the ranch and raising his orphaned brothers. Missing the D/s relationship he left behind, he is seeking a night of freedom where he can be submissive and let go of his responsibilities. When he meets Rafael, the Dom is more perfect than he could ever have dreamed.
This was a nice story and it was a good introduction to this series for me, but it wasn't really explained why Wyatt left his Dom without a backward glance ten years ago. Sure, he had responsibilities to his family, but it's just weird that he never sat down and mapped out any options. Just packed and left.
The Gift by V.S. Morgan is a gentle, sexy romance, with its BDSM theme more in the background than the foreground--however, what was present I found to my liking.
The characters are attractive and what little we know of them in this novelette is enticing; being part of the 1 Night Stand series from the publisher, it has its limitations, but going in knowing that, it didn't bother me.
Morgan's writing has a classical cadence, a confidence in storytelling that reminds me of books I would comfort read when I was in high school. There are times where the pronoun use gets confusing, and I would say this is the main flaw in the work and possibly an editorial issue (this being the author's first work, I give leeway to someone finding their voice in the editing process with a publisher). All said and done, this was an erotic, sweet romance, and a great introduction into BDSM fiction.
It has been a while since I last read a 1 Night Stand story but I’m glad I reconnected with the series. The stories in this series are both predictable and enjoyable. You know exactly what to expect when you start a 1 Night Stand short; a hot story about two lovers who think they’re meeting for one hot night and instead find or rediscover someone they want to build the rest of their lives with. Yes, it is predictable but it is also a lot of fun.
I enjoyed this story. It was sweet, it was very hot and it came with a happy ending to make me smile. The BDSM theme didn’t hurt either. While I liked the idea behind the story, I found the story telling a bit abrupt at times. Other than that though, I got precisely what I signed up for one I one-clicked this book.
This story is sexy and sizzling....what a night they share. Perfection. Wyatt and Rafael were tore apart by duty, but brought back together by passion. This is one great short story. I really enjoy stories that are quick, passionate and complete. This is a fantastic read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!
This BDSM 1 night stand was on the tame side compared to the other BDSM 1 Night Stand I've read - Perfect Sub. I really enjoyed the emotional connection between these two men and the past they've shared before this date. The ending was sweet, but like most 1 Night Stands I wish it had been longer.