Una Mano Fuerte

by Catt Ford, Y.M. García (Translator)

Nicholas Sayers necesita dinero para la universidad, así que acepta trabajar como el asistente del infame fotógrafo Damian Wolfe. Solo le tomarán fotografías, ¿correcto? Incorrecto. Aunque Nick nunca se preguntó qué clase de hombre es o lo que desea de la vida, trabajar para Damian durante una sesión fotográfica de bondage y sadomasoquismo (BSDM)le abre los ojos a todo tipo de posibilidades sexuales y muchas de ellas incluyen al atractivo Sr. Wolfe.

Damian tiene serias dudas de involucrarse con el joven que desconoce por completo el estilo de vida BDSM, pero el enfoque divertido y aventurero de Nick ante las nuevas experiencias es demasiado atrayente como para resistirse. Aunque sabe que podría cometer un error, Damian acepta a Nick en su vida.

Coquetear con el control, la sumisión y el dolor excita a Nick más de lo que imaginó posible. Con Damian, Nick aprende a descubrir sus deseos ocultos y descubre que ceder el control no lo hace débil… darle a alguien más el control de su placer sexual simplemente lo incrementa. Cuestión que es similar para Damian. El control lo excita. Así que comienzan a explorar juntos estas experiencias sensuales y ninguno de ellos espera encontrar el amor de esa forma.

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, Erotica, Romance, Contemporary, Gay For You, Gay

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Catt Ford lives in front of the computer monitor, in another world where her imaginary gay friends obey her every command.

She likes cats, chocolate, swing dancing, sleeping, Monty Python, Aussie friends, being silly, spinning other realities with words, and sea glass. She dislikes caterpillars, cigarette smoke, and rude people who think the F-word (as in faggot, or bundle of sticks) is acceptable.

A frustrated perfectionist, she comforts herself with the legend about the weavers of Persian rugs always including one mistake so as not to anger the gods, although she has no need to include a mistake on purpose. One always slips through. Writing fiction has filled a need for clever conversations, only possible when one is in control of both sides, and erotic romances, where everything for the most part turns out happily ever after.

Visit Catt's blog at http://catt-ford.livejournal.com/.

Reviews

[nark · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @ 25%.

yes, that butt made me read this.

[Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awwww man… I got duped by a cover again!

But look at that cover <-------- I mean… Come On! That cover coupled with the title I thought fer sure I was gonna get slammed up against a wall thereby making my pupils dilate to the size of pancakes. Instead what I got was…



This has been reviewed ad nauseam so I'm not going there but I will give you a list of what I like to call my whatever moments.

My main whatever is the BDSM elements just didn't gel for me. Damian is a Top who reportedly likes the D/s dynamics of kink. Ok, great! He likes spanking Nick but says he's not a sadist but every 5 seconds there's flogger, a crop, a tawse, a paddle & even a cane? But then he says he won't "hurt" Nick???? The kid doesn't like pain. Sure, I get it. With the kink spectrum being as wide as the Grand Canyon, I kept expecting them to drift into bondage or role play or something. Nope. So then I tried to focus on their dynamics & those didn't gel for me either! Damian's referred to as a Top's Top but he twice retreats from Nick, leaving him confused & angry. Where's the communication skills, Damian? Try & try as I might to understand what was happening with the information I was given was like trying to unravel this:



The FSoG caning scene was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. At that point I said, "Fuck it. I don't care anymore. Let's just get this thing over with."

The dialogue is wooden, canned, rehearsed, artificial & I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd read it all before. All the talk of claiming & the ubiquitous "mine"… ugh, recklessly bludgeoning me with their instalove. Speaking of instalove...

Damian & Nick have been working together for some unknown amount of time but the events of A Strong Hand take place over about 2 weeks or so at the end of which I got… what's the word I'm looking for here… oh to hell with it! I'll let you judge for yourselves:

“You know what you’re agreeing to, don’t you, baby?” Damian asked anxiously. “I’m fine just playing, but when I pledge my heart, it’s forever. You’re agreeing that you’ll be mine ’til death do us part. No one else gets to see this ass but me.”

I know Ms. Ford's going for the possessive Dom prototype but most of the time Damian sounds like a basket case. Both Nick & Damian are portrayed as beautiful & desirable to everyone & their sister yet you'd think they were both chemical burn victims to listen to their own thoughts.

And what's with all the "old/older man" business? Damian's 32 & let me tell you if I hadn't been given that information I would've thought he was on the cusp of being sent the nursing home & reduced to using

in the not too distant future. They act like their 10 yr age difference is insurmountable. It's 10 yrs!!! 10! Now, I do realize the difference experience-wise between 22 & 32 is big but... since when did 32 equate to geriatric? We all struggle with self image issues but I have a real hard time with the 'poor, unloveable, not-pretty-enough, not-good-enough, (apparently) not-young/old-enough me' tactic especially when it's not executed well & it wasn't here. It felt contrived & I didn't buy it.

I didn't connect with either of the MCs. Ashley was amusing sometimes. I won't even go into the content points that made me go, "Wait, What?!?"

I'm giving this 2 stars for 2 reasons. The sex was pretty hot. I just wish the two wingnuts having the hot sex weren't annoying as all get out. And Ms. Ford has a knack for description. She really brought the images Damian took for the photo shoot to life. I could visualize them & they were sexy.

In short, I was looking for this:



And I got this instead…



Did I ever tell you how much I hate coconut? *gag*

[JenMcJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damian is a photographic artist with a taste for the kinkier side of artistic life. He is a Top but has not indulged in that part of his life for several years. Nick is a struggling last year art student. He is looking for something but truly has no idea that he is looking or that he needs anything. For that matter, Damian is also looking for something and doesn’t realize it.

Nick becomes the assistant to Damian and their two lives collide.

Damian is photographing products for his friend Ashley’s BDSM toy and product catalog. He is a visual artist determined to make each shot perfect. No boring pictures for him. When his model doesn’t show, he uses Nick as a stand in. It’s during this process and in these unplanned moments that Damian notices Nick.

Nick is about to make some startling revelations of his own that will begin his journey. Up to this point he has been about the girls. He is stunned by his attraction to Damian and his equally strong reaction to a quick, mostly innocent, spank.

With some push from Ashley, the two begin to delve deeper into a relationship. Nick is very naïve about D/s and BDSM but takes to it like a duck to water. Damian is reluctant to become too attached to someone he perceives as too young and likely to move on after a little initiation into their world. Nick is convinced Damian won’t want to keep him since he so naive.

The book spends some time on the descriptions of the photos and the models. The writing describing the whole process of showing each product to its best advantage and use was very well done. I could really see the pictures in my mind and wanted that catalog when I was finished reading. It would have been magnificent. The cover art for this book is unbelievably appropriate. It could easily have been a photo that Damian took of Nick.

Damian finds that Nick has good artistic vision and fits well into his life. He is able to help make his visions come true both in the photos and on his spanking table. *g* Nick’s own artistic nature is not explored enough. This is the one area that the book did not do justice. We do not really get to see any of Nick’s art or his process. We don’t know if he is a good artist or what Damian thinks of any of it. He is a sculptor but we never see him create anything. This book is firmly about his time with Damian and he seems to neglect his artistic muse once he becomes a part of Damian’s life. I would have liked to have seen more of this side of Nick besides a quick two paragraphs in the epilogue.

Damian and Ashley are both Tops with their own talents and we get to see those talents. From Damian we experience it with Nick. With Ashley we see the results with his boy(s) and his wisdom and understanding with Damian. There is also another sub-character couple that is more extreme than Damian and Nick. Their interactions are quite violent and lead to very interesting introspection for Nick. These scenes add a dimension to Damian and Nick’s relationship that asked a lot of questions and prompted a lot of soul searching from both of them.

Okay, so now for the sex scenes. If you are at all squeamish about the more physical side of the BDSM scene, this book may not be for you. There is a lot of very well written erotic play and toy usage. This encompasses spanking, whipping, paddling, slings, cuffs, clamps, cages, canes, collars, leashes, beads, spreaders, leather, etc. Sometimes they are just being modeled and photographed and that is still off the charts hot in this book. Sometimes they are in full use between Damian and Nick. Clearly I do not have a problem with any of these things because half way through this book I needed a fire extinguisher. At the end, my body temperature was contributing to global warming.

*Since I know the group that will be reading this review, I will add that there is no ménage, no public sex, no bloodsport and no humiliation between any of the main characters.*

It may seem like this is really just hot kinky porn, but this book really had a lot of emotional depth. I strongly felt the connection between Damian and Nick. I loved that Nick uses his safe word. That is pretty rare in these types of stories. Damian also respects that use without any guilt or recriminations. I loved one of the later scenes in the club when Damian is so sensitive to Nicks’ discomfort. I loved that Nick did not just love everything Damian suggest or demanded. They both had limits, they were both pushed past them, but they didn’t have to revisit the painful ones. Nick is also sweetly naïve and seemed to have really well thought out reactions that a newbie would have. For instance, if you don’t know the significance of a collar, why would you care who put one on you for a photo shoot?

I am very glad I pushed this book to the top of my TBR pile. It is a keeper for me. Not one I would recommend to just anyone, but one I will pull out and re-read which is very rare for me.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

This book is probably more of a 2-2 1/2 star read for me, but I bumped it because I do love the cover, which was what first drew me to the book. Nick is the assistant to a photographer, Damien. Damien's friend Ashley runs a company that sells kink- everything from whips to leather pants. Ashley has asked Damien to shoot his catalogue, but Ashley also wants to play matchmaker plus he might have a thing for his assistant, Derek, who used to be Damien's assistant. Damien and Ashley are both into the scene and are both tops. Derek is scared off by the whole thing. Nick is straight and not into any of it, except that he is. There is VERY lite bdsm.

There are a lot of characters that I thought might be more important to the plot than they actually are, because they get POV time. And the whole idea of shooting this catalogue was such a huge plot device that to me, it seemed silly. Like an excuse to have hot men half naked and chained and expose our young protagonist to this lifestyle without really exposing him to it.

The good...
The cover! Ha! But seriously, the characters were sweet. Their relationship was sweet, except when they were being silly. Most of the conflict in this book is because they didn't talk to each other. A few words from either one, instead of ignoring things and the misunderstanding could have easily been cleared up. If there had just been more (more build, more character development, just more) this book could have been a 5 star read.

The bad...
Nick at the start of the book is a surly straight assistant to this photographer. 50 pages in, he's a sub, to a gay man, who he's having a lot of sex with. What? If either of those things had been previously established, jumping to the other one might not have seemed like such a big deal, but as it is, he realizes he is gay and a submissive in one swoop. Well, except that he's not really into it, the sub thing. He likes some spanking and such, but collars and leashes and public displays are not his thing. I guess this is more like gay sub for you lite, because I don't get the sense that Nick would do this with anyone else. I wish there was some more exploration on Nick's part about his sudden shift. I wish there was some build to the relationship between the two as well. I just never felt the connection to them and it made the book hard to get in to.

Also after a while every scene between Nick & Damien was the same. Either they were having sex, Nick was getting spanked, or they were both doubting themselves, each other and their relationship and ignoring each other. There wasn't a lot or variance and a fair amount could have been trimmed and replace with some more character development. Plus, the ending was abrupt. Like because the story didn't really build, the HEA was sort of out of nowhere. They spent a lot of the book being wishy-washy about most things, then suddenly it was all tied up in a neat little bow.

The ugly...
Well, the ugly is a two shot combo of the language and the POV head hopping in this book. Let me explain. The prologue is mostly from Ashley's POV. Then we are in the book and the POV shifts, often within a paragraph from Nick, to Damien, to Ashley to Derek, to a random model named Markie... just all over the place. This type of writing I find very hard to follow. Then there were the wtf moments. You see Nick seems to be the only Brit speaking Brit and really it's only the words "flat" "tube" and "arse" and every time he said one of them it threw me. The book is set in London, if not London exactly, then some outskirt of it. Yet there is nothing that says England in the writing. No "colour", no "kerb", no phrase that I had to go look up because it's a saying I'm not familiar with. Nick is the only one that took the "tube" home to his "flat". He was the only one with an "arse." It was weird. If no one had used any of this it would have been fine, but I mentally stumbled every time he said "arse," and in this book that was a lot.

The conclusion...
So at the end of the day, this book had a lot of potential. It could have explored Nick realizing he may be gay. It could have explored Nick realizing that he may be into a little lite bondage and an occasional spanking. It could have explored why it was exactly that Damien had been alone, celibate and not participating in the scene for over five years. It could have showed Ashley and Damien's friendship. How Derek had ended up as as Ashley's assistant. Or why any of these people were attracted to the ones they were attracted to beside that they were pretty. It could have built to a HEA, but instead it jumped there.

Another good blurb, where the book just didn't deliver.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started re-reading this for the second time in November 2013 but was disillusioned at about 50%. It wasn't living up to the 5 stars from my first reading. I felt like I was reading a shifter book. The MC's were marking each other and growling "mine" and talking about being "mates." I decided to put it down for a bit and re-read at a later date. My original rating will remain for now.

[Funzee Shu · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 DELICIOUS-LICKABLE-BUM ***

"Does it excite you to be under my power, to surrender your pleasure to me, to trust me to give you enjoyment when you deserve it, to be under my control?"

"Yes, sir."

Alright....
The main reason I marked this book is...
Absolutely because the cover !

Oh, come on, ladies !
Look at that adorable-delicious-lickable BUM !!!

Gosh ! I really-REALLY wanna lick it or snuggling on it or well...uhm...yes...I must admit that it make me wanna do some light spank on the chick eh ? *grinning wickedly*



That BUM was just too W.O.W for me !!



No wonder Damian drooling and become possessive with Nick's bum !

Wowkeh ! I'll make my review as short as I can ~ still cannot promise it'll that short though ! Lol !

Nicholas work as part time assistant to a very famous-smart-talented-and-phenomenal photographer, Damian Wolfe.
He is young, beautiful with lean muscular body, and he is straight !

When Damian's friend ~ Ashley asked him to help him make a catalog for his product with BDSM concept, Nick start to feel "un easy" yet horny too when he saw models took their photo session test.

He start picturing himself on the scenes that Damian took.
When suddenly Damian asked him to take a pose for him to test the set and lighting, Nick stripped his clothes in front Damian without any protest.
Cuz there's something in Damian tone gave him unknown sensation and he want to obey it.

His heart was beating so hard and loud; he was surprised that Damian couldn't hear it. The thought of Damian owning a shot of him, naked and restrained to a bar, made his cock twitch, and he wasn't even gay! Was he?

Ashley is the one who found that Nick is "a natural sub" and only react to Damian command.
Ashley then teased Damian to claimed him, but Damian keep denying it.

Until one day, Damian need to test Ashley's theory and asked Nick to kneel before him,and....
Nick did all he said without any hesitation.

Damian then bring Nick to his lifestyle, the D/s world that totally new for Nick.
Slowly, Damian start to teach Nick the world of subs, how to explore his needs and how to enjoying...the pain...
What happen next is too late for Damian, cuz he start to falling for Nick and want to own him, and it means...he must broke his own rule...

I agree with what Ashley said...

"We like to think we're in charge, but we poor Tops are the real slaves. We have to do all the work and still deliver the sensations the bottom is looking for, or they complain and we're drummed out of the life in disgrace."

Reading the way Damian teaching Nick is like seeing "step by step to the BDSM world" to me, not in "rough way" but in very "sweet way".

And the photo sessions ~ Gosh ! ~ are really REALLY HOT !

Both Damian and Nick are so adorable...



I have "BUM fetish"...

And this book full of "bum scenes" with various combinations.

"Delicious bum"...
"Rosy pink bum"...
"Glowing bum"...
"Lickable bum"...
"Full sexy globes-chick-bum-or whatever bum"...

Gosh !!!
Can you imagine what its feels like to a bum fetish like me ????

It's make me CRAZY !!!



HORNY !!!


and lil bit...NAUGHTY !!!



Cuz no matter I see, I keep picturing those sexy-delicious-lickable-BUM !!!!



Now enough about those bum , how about the story itself ?

Is it good ?
Did I enjoying it ?
Is worth to read ?

Well, I hv only ONE answer to all those question....

OH, HELL YES !!!!

Did reading what Damian did to Nick gave you strange "sensation" ?

Oh, YES !!
~ suddenly I hv strong obsession to pinch, light spank,and touch-spank-touch a bum !!

LMAO !!!

Did this book satisfied me ?

Oh, HELL YES !!

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt more like a short story structure rather than that of a full novel. There were no real world intrusions, no meeting of friends outside of the lifestyle, and the main character didn't confront his sexuality in any meaningful way.

[Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This? Awesome BDSM book.

Nick Sayers is a young artist who begins working for a well known photographer, Damian Wolfe, and eventually begins modelling for a kink catalogue that Damian is shooting.

Nick has some curiousity about the lifestyle and Damian eases him into things slowly. Surprisingly there's a lot of info dump here but it never gets in the way of the really sweet romance that develops between the two men.

Nick is a submissive and Damian is a top who really understands and enjoys the dynamic that can exist between them and in guiding Nick shows him what he's capable of as well. The chemistry between Nick and Damian is incendiary. Whew.

I mentioned in one up my updates how refreshing it was to read about a top who is having fun and enjoying himself without being overly tortured by the lifestyle he's chosen. I'd say read the book just for that!

Recommended.

[mwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Elisa Rolle]

First of all I'm shallow, but I was enticed by the cover since the first moment I saw it. It's perfect for the book, a story of a young boy who is starting to discover the BDSM world, but he likes it "vanilla", he mostly likes to be spanked, and what is better than a pretty bum to suggest it?

Nick is a young art student who is working for a famous male erotica photographer, Damian, to make the ends meet. Since the beginning he is a brat, always answering back to Damian even for the smallest things. Truth be told, if not for the turn in their relationship, there were no real reason for Damian to take Nick around, even if he is a pretty boy. But then Ashley, a quite strange fairy godmother of the Doms and subs, and good friend of Damian, asks to the man to shot his next catalogue of sex toys and leathers, and thanks to the fate, Nick finds himself to model the first innocent pieces for Damian.

Nick is not gay, or at least he thinks so, and he was never interested in the kinky aspects of love, but seeing around all the things and having the chance to be the center of attention for Damian let him eager of more. To Nick, so young and naive, it seems impossible to satisfy Damian, so hard and precise in his work, and maybe, even before this catalogue work comes around, Nick was trying to find a way to impress his boss. Even if he doesn't realize it, Nick is a top from the bottom, he likes to be in center stage and he likes when all Damian's attention is turned toward him. He wants to be the only man in Damian's life, and if this means being a sub, well, he will try. But truth be told, Nick is a real vanilla sub, he likes to dress like a little girl with her mother dress, and he likes to be spanked, but better if possible with bared hands, or at least with nothing that leaves permanent bruises. More than the pain, what Nick likes, and excites him, is being the focal point of their sexual plays. Nick is a bit of an hedonist, and maybe he also needs a strong hand to control and direct him.

Damian on the other hand, has tried all and now is more or less tired of all. He is not searching for a sub, he is quite content with his work and his life, and probably he doesn't want the burden of an untrained sub, on top of than also so much younger than him. So he really doesn't miss anything when he realizes that with Nick he will have to respect some limits, things that a real Dom will never accept. Actually between the two, the one who always risk their relationship is Damian, he is always questioning if he is doing right, and sometime he is so blinded by his own insecurities that he doesn't realize that he is neglecting his sub. Where Nick is not exactly the role model for a sub, Damian is not at all the strong and steady Dom, even if people around him praise his mastery... I have the feeling that Damian is more an artist of the BDSM world more than a real player. Probably if not for the fairy godmother Ashley, they will never get together for good (and Ashley is a very nice supporting character, I like that also him has his personal love story inside the book).

So in the end I have the feeling that both Nick than Damian are more playing to be Dom and sub, than being the real thing. This also allow to the book to be light and funny, and accessible to all type of readers, even those who have some boundaries on BDSM, as I said, the most you will find in this book is a cute spanked pink bum.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935192833/?...

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by Catt Ford and I really enjoyed the coupling of Nick and Damian.

Damian is an experienced Top and well known erotic photographer who has chosen not to participate in the scene for the last 5 years, although we are never really given an explanation why other than the subs were annoying him. Nick, is about 10 years younger (as we are often reminded), working his way through his last year of college as an art major and has never been attracted to another man or the BDSM lifestyle until Damian. During a shoot for a catalog for Damian's friend Ashley, featuring BDSM equipment and clothing, Nick acts as a model and Damian notices Nick's interest and submissive nature. It was nice to see Damian as a Top who really enjoys the "play" aspect of his lifestyle. He is not into humiliating or causing his subs pain, but he enjoys getting their submission. This works out well as an introduction to the lifestyle for Nick.

Where the storyline began to lose me was that the relationship tension is based upon both men not speaking up to each other and discussing what they want. Damian feeling that Nick is too young and once he gets a taste for things will move on and Nick feeling that he is too inexperienced and not good enough for Damian. After a while, it got to the point where it was too repetitive, Damian freaking out after each scene and freezing out Nick. Another problem I had was the writing style. The POV's sometimes changed from paragraph to paragraph without any warning or indication to the point where I would have to go back and re-read once I determined whose head I was in. There was also overuse of the terms older and younger man.

Overall, though, the story between the two MC's was very sweet, and the secondary characters were entertaining. I would have enjoyed more of an exploration of why Damian chose to spend the last 5 years celibate and Nick's feelings as he went from vanilla, het college boy to embracing a lifestyle of gay submissive.

[*Bohemian* · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a miracle I finished the book. On an upside, there were plenty of hot sex scenes, page after page if that is what you go for. On the down side, the story was really weak. There was not much of anything else going on other than a sexy catalog photoshoot and a new Dom-Sub relationship in blossom.

What made me drop the book multiple times was the CONSTANT headhopping. It happened even in a single paragraph. I don't mind not knowing all the time what goes on both mc's mind - let alone everyone else's mind in the room. Gnah. Oh and getting bored with the repetition of the theme going on in the book.

Damien was probably the most idiotic "experienced" Dom I have ever read about. There wasn't much depth with any of the characters so I was quite disappointed.

I did like the visuals and descriptions with the photoshoots, for a while, before they started to be repetitive. Some sweet and cute moments, though, and a lot of babying and pet talking.

The book was written in 2009, so I will give it a cheer for that. A few years later there have been several D/S M/M books on the market that do this much better. In my mind this should have been at least 200 pages shorter, lol, and edited with a hard hand. Then it might have been more satisfying.

[LauraSt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Know that moment when you finish a book and you just think to yourself, "What the f*ck did I just read?"
Well that's exactly what happened to me.
I have to admit I was actually interested in this book after I saw the cover, silly, I know, but then I saw the reviews and decided to give it a try.
Oh how wrong I was...
I didn't enjoy this at all, it was a promising idea but it just didn't deliver.
The narration was horrible.
I bugged me the hell out that they kept referring to Damian as 'the older man' he was 32 for god sakes' and 'the photographer'
I felt complete detached from the story and the characters, I just couldn't make myself feel something.
Only thing I was interested in was the shooting, I'd pay money to see a catalogue like the one 'made' on this book.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

01/18/13: Revised rating after a couple of years of reading m/m: from 5 to 3.5.

I was surprised by this book. I thought it was out of my comfort zone, but I was wrong and I was really glad I read it. I think it's the right book for those, like me, who had little to no idea abaout what a BDSM book entailed, but who are curious and want to start to explore it.

What did it for me is the way Damian introduces Nick to the BDSM lifestyle, almost step by step, and the fact that he feels he is not infallible. He is always questioning himself and he respects Nick and he is also ready to give Nick up in the future, even if his emotional investment in their relationship is huge.

Nick tests his boundaries, but he doesn't let himself be overwhelmed by Damian's personality. He finds the courage to express his discomfort when a situation seems to be too much for him. For a reader like me, who knows nothing about the lifestyle, it was a relief and kept me reading.

There is just one scene that was a bit uncomfortable for me, but it didn't envolve the main characters. I don't think it was gratuitous and its reasons were fully explained in the book.

I think I will want to re-read it sooner or later. And I think I want the catalogue, which is in a way the third main character of the book.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet story about Nick, a young straight man finding himself in submission to his gay photographer boss, Damian. I liked the way Nick was eased into the lifestyle when asked to model some of the kink props being photographed for a catalog. I did not like how easily Nick accepted having a gay relationship. It seemed odd that he didn't have more issues with this. There is a lot of spanking which gets repetitive, and the lack of deeper conversation between the mcs prevented me from having a solid connection with either one.

The idea of the story is sweet though, and I enjoyed watching the relationships work themselves out.

Merged review:

This was a sweet story about Nick, a young straight man finding himself in submission to his gay photographer boss, Damian. I liked the way Nick was eased into the lifestyle when asked to model some of the kinky props being photographed for a catalog. I did not like how easily Nick accepted having a gay relationship. It seemed odd that he didn't have more issues with this. There is a lot of spanking which gets repetitive, and the lack of deeper conversation between the mcs prevented me from having a solid connection with either one.

The idea of the story is sweet though, and I enjoyed watching the relationships work themselves out. 3.5 stars for me.

[Awilk -never sleeps- · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off the cover. It is one of my favourites. Enticing without being overly beefcake. Nice.
The story was one that pulled me in very quickly. It was a book that made me cook dinner one-handed so I didn't have to stop, and I think it was the writing style that captured me. The only problem I had with that was that it jumped around a bit too much in who was telling me the story.
It could have been a 5 star read but I really don't believe in these gay-for-you story's very much. If you like both sexes, even when you may have a preference for one more then the other, you are bisexual. I don't know why authors seem to ignore this fact.
Overall I found this to be mainly a nice hot romance, with a happy ending that made me smile. I don't really ask for much more than that.
Will be trying more from this author at some point.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insecure dom plus insecure sub equals some of the... politest BDSM stuff I've ever read. I kind of enjoyed it for the novelty value of that alone. It's a nice little book, engaging and well-written enough for me to see it through to the end.

[Tati · Rating 2 out of 5]

This got one extra star for effort.

This has no plot at all. And I have my doubts about the BDSM side of it, to be honest. No, I don't have any experience with it. All I can do is compare it to other books in the same genre.

Some of the reactions were just... Weird. And this was just smut on top of smut (I like my smut to have a little bit of plot and/or character development). I didn't feel any chemistry between Damian and Nick, either.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loads of angst interspersed with much smex and a young man exploring his burgeoning submissive side, made for a rather entertaining read. Defnitely on the lighter side the of the D/s scale, although one of the scenes in the last third was a little rougher. Nothing you’ll need someone to hold your hand through though!

There was great tension between Nick and Damian, and I especially enjoyed Nick. He was super cute and kinda artsy/emo! I found his character rather appealing and easy to read. He has a bit of that sweet, slightly innocent feel, but with that nice gutsy stuff to balance it out. Spunky, but not annoyingly so.

At times the narrative became a little repetitive with several scenes in quick succession that bore close resemblance to one another. It was mainly the sex scenes and I’m not one to say no to that! But as I was reasonably engrossed in the book, it was not too much of a problem, although it would have read a little more tightly if there’d been less. There were also a couple of other odd revelations about Damian and his past that seemed a little out of place, but I chose to ignore it and carry on.

While there were a few things I had issues with, I did like the story. This is the 2nd book by Catt Ford that I’ve read and I really am enjoying her writing. Sweet, sexy stuff that is worth a look.

AND, look at that cover. Is nice.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/09/...

[Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite type of BDSM book. I find it hard to reconcile the need of an adult to take total control over/for another adult with my own life experience so the books which portray that kind of 24/7 domination leave me feeling a bit icky. A Strong Hand on the other hand (no pun intended) neatly separates the bedroom games from the rest of the character's lives.

Having said that, some of the BDSM was intense but it was intended to titillate rather than punish/humiliate Nicholas so it stayed on the right side of the line to be an enjoyable reading experience for me.

My only 'complaint' about the book was the mixed spelling (American/English). I know that the character Damian was American, but when I see the word 'ass' used in a book where 'arse' is also used, I naturally assume that 'ass' means "...a hoofed mammal (genus Equus) of the horse family with a braying call, typically smaller than a horse and with longer ears..." rather than a "bottom". If you were an American reader, you might not find the two words difficult to reconcile but I found it pulled me out of the story a few times.

All in all, this book was a pleasant read with likeable characters & a satisfying HEA. I have happily read it multiple times now.

[J.L. Merrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult book to rate. Parts were very well done indeed - the innocent sub Nick getting into the BDSM scene, but completely freaked out by its more extreme aspects. The fallible Dom - a pet hate of mine is the Dom portrayed as some kind of all-knowing, infinitely patient sex-god. The erotic scenes were red hot and smoking, and both main characters are appealing. Secondary characters add interest without stealing the show.

I wasn't convinced by Nick as someone just discovering he was gay, however, and I didn't see why he had to be in any case - it was treated as a matter of so little importance. And the internal "conflict" of each partner imagining the other couldn't possibly love him became a little repetitive.
If it had ended sooner, it would definitely have had a higher grade from me, and not just because I'm not a fan of saccharine sentimentality.

Having said that, I can easily imagine reading this book again.

[Ayanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

much later ETA:
Something I should have said the first time:
Man. Look at that ass...

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn't like this story. It seemed that the author didn't know anything about the BDSM lifestyle beyond the names of toys and her characters kept falling out of character.

Damian is meant to be a "Top Dom" yet nothing at all that he does in this story makes him seem like one at all. Nick just doesn't make sense to me. He starts off the story straight then like a switch is flipped he's suddenly ok with trying out spanking and giving a man a blow job. And you know, I can't stand that device. OK, fine if the character starts off believing he's straight and ends up coming to some understanding about his sexuality but that should be a slow progression and a focal point of the story. Why can't we just have a story about gay men? Why is it that there always has to be a hint that they were straight at some point? Or that they're only gay for one person (which is so silly that I feel stupid even typing that).

I think that the author rushed herself, rather than exploring things in the story, she pushed the characters through to a conclusion. It would have been better if she'd chosen a focus and went with that. It gets further bogged down and confused by adding in tidbits about other characters but then leaving you hanging because they aren't explored at all. Quite frankly, Crispin and Eddy sounded way more interesting to me than our two main characters here and I would have rather read about them.

I actually got bored and had to fight to finish this which was unfortunate really. Nick was not at all a likeable character and his behaviour at the club was so foolish that at that point I no longer wanted to read the book at all and ended up skimming through to the end. What the hell is wrong with him that he's practically crying because he's in a club? The author wants us to believe that he trusts Damian yet he clearly doesn't or he wouldn't have been behaving like such a baby at the club. He would have trusted that Damian would keep him safe. That scene could have been interesting but instead it was just ridiculous. What kind of "Top Dom" would ever want a sub who basically doesn't submit. The author ignores repeated slips of him not addressing Damian properly when they're "in a scene" and Damian has rushed him into things so quickly it's a wonder he knows what to do at all.

My issue wasn't with the writing itself, for the most part, there were some errors and for someone that was supposed to be American Damian sure didn't talk like one (and saying "your bottom" all the time just sounds so ugh...) but I think she suffered from trying to cover too much in too short a space and a severe lack of character development. Once, during a lecture from an author, she said if you can't answer the question "What did your character eat for breakfast today?" without having to really think about it then you haven't developed your character well enough. Whether you agree with that or not the issue here is the author does not know her characters and it made for an unappealing read.

I think the potential is there but the author needs to understand both her characters and her subject matter better if she wants to write something believable.

[Erotic Horizon · Rating 4 out of 5]

World renown photographer Damian Wolfe is on a job as a favour and at this point he’s actually wondering why the hell he is even there. Not that the catalogue he’s doing the shot for isn’t something to be appreciated – but with a very eager friend looking over his shoulder to top that off he has an accident prone assistant – he’s now making use of all the patience he’s built up over the years.

Nicholas Sayers is the accident prone assistant in question – working his way through school, he takes a job to help with the layout and some manual job for the photographer, at not time did he question what or who was being photographed. Seeing the tools of the BDSM trade so to speak up close and personal brings out Nick’s exploratory nature, which is not a bad thing but it lures Damian in as nothing else could - because Nick was also an accident waiting to happen he needs to be taken into hand and Damien as reluctant as he is has the strongest hand that Nick needs.

What a rush this book was, not only was I reintroduced to Ms. Ford’s voice but this was a book that I really enjoyed. The protags were the book – irrespective of what other brilliance this book had to offer, Damien with his lone wolf approach to life and his reluctant mannerism was a class act, Nick was sweet – literally candy, innocent to so much more than his natural instinct – he however cannot resist what he was born for even if he knew not what he was about to get into.

The plot was a wonderful event – because this is how it felt. There was fear, there was naivety, there was reliance as well as good old smut. The emotional aspect of this book is wrapped tightly around the smut bit of this book. Damien is having to face some home truths and as much as he eventually mans up to what will eventually by his responsibility, it’s refreshing to see his self doubt, his crushing fear of doing the wrong thing and his elation at knowing that he has made the most important person in his life shine.

For readers new to the whole BDSM scene this is the book for you. I was impressed with how Ms. Ford handled Nick’s character as well as the side cast that just be there action made both positive and negative impression on a fresh face Nick. Nick is the star of this show however and I was with him every step of the way – at no point did I think he could not handle anything dished out to him or put in any uncomfortable situation - I thought the introduction to the scenes were quite tastefully done.

There was a good balance with quite a bit of the book, As much as the book concentrated on the softer element of the lifestyle – there was a really eye opening scene that I felt was well placed and well time. The personalities also were well placed and they provided the sometime hilarious angst that gave the book a more rounded feel.

For fans of Ms. Ford work – not to be missed, seriously. New reader Ms. Ford is a voice you will be adding to your list.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the kind of book that you read, and it's really good, but then you find yourself asking what was his name again? when you're done.

The premise of the book was solid. The writing was good.

Nick had never been able to please Damian before and hearing approval in his employer’s voice was… heady.

The relationship was dynamic and accurate... The scenes were hot.

“You need to learn to ask for what you want,” Damian scolded gently. “How will anyone know how to please you if you don’t make your needs known?”

And yet Nick and Damian were completely forgettable. Finishing this one left me wanting... something more.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been and easy 4 stars read if it weren't for the constant use of "smaller man", "younger man" etc. That phrasing takes me right out of the story and makes me work a little to hard to get back into it. Loved the relationship between these two. So unsure of each other yet desperate to please. And a man on man virgin? Oh yeah, me likey!

[Formerly Known as Spoiler W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was kinda iffy about this one but I really enjoyed it. Would like a follow up on Damien and Nick also a book about Ashley and Derick.

[Anne]

Framing that cover in 3...2...1!

[Kassa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is sweet, touching BDSM story that is really light D/s with a kink for spanking. There are a few uncomfortable scenes with heavier BDSM but these are minor and meant more to help the characters understand their desires and limits rather than focusing on the harder elements of that lifestyle. The writing is decent with some good characters, although the story tries too hard and adds in several disparate elements. Ultimately the sweet, tender nature of the story with an edge of kink and danger will please most fans and make for an enjoyable read.

World renown erotica photographer Damien Wolfe is shooting the catalog of a BDSM toys and accessories manufacturer. His new assistant, Nicholas, can’t help his fascination at the items and men he sees. When Damien discovers Nicholas’ attraction and his own passion incites, the two men begin a sensual journey of exploration and trust.

The story is mostly about Nick’s journey and discovery of his desires and needs. Told in third person and jumping point of view every other paragraph, the focus is on Nick’s education into a new world. There is a lengthy prologue that dumps all information about Damien’s background and sets him up as emotionally and physically reclusive artist. Nick is his hapless new assistant who is surly, accident prone, and combative until a well placed smack to his ass turns the young man entirely around and practically salivating at Damien’s feet. Thus the two embark on an affair that prompts most of the action.

The characterization is decent for Nick, who is rather easy as an innocent young man with no real clue to his own sexuality and desires. He often acts out in minor ways to get attention but once he has Damien’s attention, he snaps back into an almost perfect submissive. Nick is not as complex as he could have been and gets upstaged later in the book by more interesting characters that are briefly mentioned but not developed. However, Nick’s emotional attachment to Damien shines and his slow confidence in himself marks his transition.

Unfortunately Damien is not as well drawn because he’s supposed to be more complex and complicated of the two. Although Damien is only thirty-two, he waivers between a characterization of a much older man and that of a normal, 32 y/o. Damien supposedly has been celibate for 5 years since finding a compatible submissive is too much work. Considering his age and work, this claim is jarring and never is fully explained or backed up. Instead this is used to keep Damien emotionally unattached, making his eventual fall for Nick more dramatic and meaningful. Perhaps it does but this could have been achieved another way. Furthermore, Damien spends the majority of the book lamenting that due to Nick’s young age, he’ll never want to stay with an “old man” (but still very young!). The narrative waivers between casting Damien into the role of a man 45 or so and keeping him young, handsome, and fit. Thus Damien’s entire angst about Nick leaving him made very little sense. It was more understandable that Nick assumed a man of Damien’s taste and background wouldn’t keep anyone for long.

This frustration ties into the bad ending. The ending is supposed to be an intense scene where the two men finally admit their feelings after the entire book (over 300 pages) which is filled with sex scenes and character development. Unfortunately the scene felt rushed and artificial. After all the emotional angst and doubt Damien goes through, he just turns around and says “do you love me?” Uh. He could have done that 200 pages ago and saved all the drama then. This ending had the book screeching to a halt and tacking on an ill fitting epilogue, which is really just a continuation of the previous scene but with sex.

So unfortunately, the book has some serious frustration – such as the horrible head hopping, which would change point of view every other paragraph at the very least or the inconsistent characterization and the distracting side characters. However the story also shines in showing Damien’s insecurity and doubt as a Top. He’s not all knowing and he makes mistakes, just as Nick also makes mistakes. The two stumble and struggle as they discover what works best for them and their needs. Additionally the book is incredibly sensual. Due to the setting of a photo shoot for BDSM related items, the entire novel is steeped in sensuality and sexuality. The characters are always having sex, talking about sex, agonizing over when to have it again or how to have it, or wondering when the sex will end. Sex is a predominant theme throughout the book, which lends an erotic feel that doesn’t ever let up. This will definitely please erotica romance fans. Overall this is a decent book with a sweet, lovely romance with an edge.

[Plainbrownwrapper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. This one's got too many problems to be really satisfying, even with that gorgeous cover.

To start with, just how many times am I gonna have to read drivel like the following:

He pointed at the floor and instinctively Nick dropped to his knees, awaiting whatever might come next.

-- instinctively?? Really?? Nick doesn't even know what a safeword is, but he kneels "instinctively"???

somehow Nick knew that no matter what he asked for, Damian would know how much he could bear.

-- there's that pesky instinct again. Man, how is it that anybody ever gets abused or raped, when all we need is "instinct" to tell us who we can trust??

"Are you mine, pet? Do you belong to me?"

-- after they've had ONE SPANKING/HAND JOB!

“I will never hurt you, do you hear me? Never.”

“I know,” Nick said very quietly."

-- this is BDSM, people. Spanking, flogging, whipping? IT HURTS.

"I would never choose to hit you like that with a cane. I will never punish you either."

-- but just a few pages later he canes the guy! and THEN he says:

"I promise if you ever try that again, I’ll spank you until you won’t sit down for a week,"

-- but oohhhhh, nooo, he'd NEVER punish him. Uh-huh.

So you can see a few reasons why I might have issues with this book. ;-)

And then we also have the nearly-angst-free, nearly-insta-GFY, nearly-insta-sub problem. And then we have the constant misunderstandings in lieu of actual communication. And then we have the repetitiveness. And then we had all the lack of back-story: WHY has Damian been out of the scene for that long? And if he's really been out of the scene, then how does the bouncer at the club still recognize him? And if Damian goes to the States to visit his son EVERY MONTH, why have we never seen him?

I will say, though, that I did not mind the Dom's attacks of insecurity and indecision, as some others have complained about. I *like* to see a human Dom, and if he'd truly been out of the scene for 5 years you could expect him to be rusty.

Some other good reviews with additional info:

Tara's review
Jen's review
Tere's review