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Taken #1
Taken in Hand
Chad is a detective in a college town plagued by a serial killer who is targeting gay couples in BDSM relationships. His chief asks the handsome young officer to pose as the submissive partner in one such relationship to attract the killer.
The Dom, a gorgeous college professor agrees to the charade, but warns Chad he will have to strictly obey him when they play in the clubs, or when they interact with his friends at his home. His friends know him to be a strong, experienced Dom and won't be fooled easily.
In order to pull it off, Chad will have to be trained properly, and this will challenge all he knows about himself.
As his barriers break down and he finds out what it means to be submissive, he learns to love his place at his Dom's feet, not realizing he's attracting the notice of a savage killer.
The Dom, a gorgeous college professor agrees to the charade, but warns Chad he will have to strictly obey him when they play in the clubs, or when they interact with his friends at his home. His friends know him to be a strong, experienced Dom and won't be fooled easily.
In order to pull it off, Chad will have to be trained properly, and this will challenge all he knows about himself.
As his barriers break down and he finds out what it means to be submissive, he learns to love his place at his Dom's feet, not realizing he's attracting the notice of a savage killer.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2013
23 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 8, 2013
TL;DR = an incredibly ordinary book.
Buckle up, friends: this is a long one (blame the quotes).
Confession: I cheated on my Abstinance April. Three times in one night. I'm a book slut. But boy, was I punished for my misdeeds.
This book is not good.
"mewling" count = 1
"baby" count = 57
Now, let's play a party game. I'll give you some scenarios and you name the m/m book they are from;
1)
Oh noes! A twisted serial killer is targeting BDSM practitioners! For our cop MC, closeted and in denial, his need to solve the crime is all twisted up with the opportunity to unleash the submission inside him, while the author holds our hands and walkes us v e r y s l o w l y through BDSM 101.
Answer:
2)
Dom takes newbie sub into the BDSM club, and the newbie talks out of line. The Dom tells him to "Go away. I’m not pleased with you right now. Go mingle or observe or whatever and come back when you think you can behave yourself." (loc. 549)
Answer:
3)
Newbie sub gets taken advantage of by a pair of experienced older players, who drug him and are going to have their wicked way with him. Luckily our Dom makes it there just in time!
"Moving down the corridor, he paused outside the last door and listened through the wood panels . . . He rapped sharply on the door and not waiting for an answer, stepped inside. Chad was stripped naked and lying flat on his stomach on the bed. He wasn’t moving. Both Doms stood over him and looked up at Adam in surprise as he came in the door. One of them held a whip, and a flogger was laid out on the bed, ready to be used next. “What the fuck, Morrison?” O’Brien snarled at him. “Get your own boy.” Adam nodded toward the bed. “That is my boy, and I didn’t give you permission to play with him.”
The bigger of the two men, Parker, turned toward Adam aggressively. “He’s not collared. He said he was alone, and he came willingly. He never said he belonged to you.”. . . “Fuck, did you drug him, asshole? . . “Adam, h-help me.” Adam’s chest tightened. He rubbed Chad’s back and spoke soothingly to him. “I’m here, baby boy. Just calm down.” . . . “The boy belongs to me. I might let you watch, but that’s it. Nobody touches him but me.” O’Brien grabbed his crotch through a slit in his leather gear and stroked himself. “Watching sounds good to me.” . . . “Uncuff him.” Parker stepped over and produced a key, taking off heavy, leather cuffs quickly. Adam rolled the boy over on his back and knelt on the bed beside him, bending down low and speaking in his ear. To the men standing close by, it might have sounded like endearments . . . I’m going to turn you over my knee and spank you so hard you’ll never get yourself into a mess like this again.” . . . “So you like that idea? You like the idea of lying across my lap and feeling helpless and controlled? Do you want my hand pounding down on your ass until you can’t think anymore and all you can do is beg me to stop?” Chad shivered and gazed up into his eyes. “God, yes,” he said, his words slurring, but with a look of yearning and trust on his upturned face.
Chad watched Adam pull a condom over his dick within seconds and with surprising ease. He . . . heaved Chad’s body over onto his lap, seemingly without effort . . . He positioned Chad so he was lying across his lap, his ass in the air, his cock pressed down between Adam’s thighs . . . He almost smiled at the crazy dream and rubbed his prick against Adam’s thigh. Damn, it felt so good. It was a complete shock when Adam’s hand came down hard on his bare ass, almost lifting him up off his thighs . . . the only reality was the rub of Adam’s pants against his rigid, sensitive cock and the force of his hand as it fell on his ass again and again. The sting on his ass was the only thing that gave him a sense of reality. He bucked and cried out, frantically reaching around behind him for Adam’s touch. Adam had become his only anchor, the only person he could count on or hang onto. Adam’s hand met his and gripped it tightly, though his other hand was still planted in the small of his back, holding him firmly down.
Adam leaned and crooned to him. “Such a good boy. It will be over soon, and you can thank me. Put your hands back down now like a sweet boy and take the rest of your spanking for me. That’s right. Lie still now.” . . . “You want to come for me again, baby?” “Y-Yes,” he mumbled, not feeling quite so confused and dizzy anymore, but still so aroused . . . The orgasm come over him powerful and strong. The hand fell once more. “Then come,” he ordered. Chad strained and cried out. He wanted to obey Adam desperately. His legs went stiff, and his hips still tried to find something to hump against. The hand around his waist lifted, and he slid off Adam’s lap and onto the floor. Shuddering through the aftershocks of his orgasm, he suddenly felt cold, though his butt felt like it was on fire. In a crazy way he liked that he could still feel where Adam’s hands had been on him, and he knew he’d feel it for days.” (locs 607-683)
Answer:
Wasn't that fun. We could keep going, but let's not.
To be clear, I am absolutely NOT suggesting West and Brooks have plagiarized anything. Rather, I am suggesting that the scenarios in this and many recent m/m books are so derivative that they could have been plucked from virtually any previous m/m book (and, in this case, one . This isn't a failing of the authors: it is the genre's. From the outside it must look like easy pickings; there's little other explanation for the crop of appalling books with fourth-hand plots that we readers are having to wade through.
But even aside from all this, the book is just not enjoyable.
Example: at the beginning of the book the Dom tells the cop he has to behave as a sub the entire time they're in the house, not just in public:
"Morrison leaned back in the booth and regarded him closely. “I wonder if you have any real idea of what you’re getting yourself into. My partners in the past have all been required to live the lifestyle twenty-four-seven, both at home and in the club. All my close friends know this. There would be no question of hiding it or deviating from my usual habits.”
but by the end of the book the Dom sings a different tune:
"Adam moved Chad’s fingers gently aside and smiled at him. “But that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I-I have feelings for you too. I…um…shit, why is this so hard to say? I love you too. I didn’t expect to, and it’s thrown me for a loop.” He searched Chad’s face carefully. “I was thinking of asking you to move in with me, to see if you like it, to see if we can make it work.” Chad’s mouth opened in surprise, and Adam rushed on. “Not like a sub or anything. I don’t think you’d be comfortable that way. But if you think it’s something you’d like to do—living here with me—then we could work out the details as we went along. I know this is fast, but…”
Yes, our tough self-assured Dom is now a stammering dish of emotional vanilla pudding. True love will cure this messy need for games of dominance and submission .
Gaaah, instalove, how I curse you!
Plus, also at the end of the book the Dom O.o
1.5 stars for not being completely awful. The writing was perfectly fine, and I only noticed one major copy error (wrong character name) and one weird uncomfortable line that needed editing out.
There was some good stuff: I really liked the scene where Yummy. There was a sense of delicious voyeurism in there, even though it was such a simple idea. It seemed very honest and true. I wish there had been more in this vein.
So, just barely OK for me. If you are a newbie to the genre you may find this enjoyable.
Buckle up, friends: this is a long one (blame the quotes).
Confession: I cheated on my Abstinance April. Three times in one night. I'm a book slut. But boy, was I punished for my misdeeds.
This book is not good.
"mewling" count = 1
"baby" count = 57
Now, let's play a party game. I'll give you some scenarios and you name the m/m book they are from;
1)
Oh noes! A twisted serial killer is targeting BDSM practitioners! For our cop MC, closeted and in denial, his need to solve the crime is all twisted up with the opportunity to unleash the submission inside him, while the author holds our hands and walkes us v e r y s l o w l y through BDSM 101.
Answer:
2)
Dom takes newbie sub into the BDSM club, and the newbie talks out of line. The Dom tells him to "Go away. I’m not pleased with you right now. Go mingle or observe or whatever and come back when you think you can behave yourself." (loc. 549)
Answer:
3)
Newbie sub gets taken advantage of by a pair of experienced older players, who drug him and are going to have their wicked way with him. Luckily our Dom makes it there just in time!
"Moving down the corridor, he paused outside the last door and listened through the wood panels . . . He rapped sharply on the door and not waiting for an answer, stepped inside. Chad was stripped naked and lying flat on his stomach on the bed. He wasn’t moving. Both Doms stood over him and looked up at Adam in surprise as he came in the door. One of them held a whip, and a flogger was laid out on the bed, ready to be used next. “What the fuck, Morrison?” O’Brien snarled at him. “Get your own boy.” Adam nodded toward the bed. “That is my boy, and I didn’t give you permission to play with him.”
The bigger of the two men, Parker, turned toward Adam aggressively. “He’s not collared. He said he was alone, and he came willingly. He never said he belonged to you.”. . . “Fuck, did you drug him, asshole? . . “Adam, h-help me.” Adam’s chest tightened. He rubbed Chad’s back and spoke soothingly to him. “I’m here, baby boy. Just calm down.” . . . “The boy belongs to me. I might let you watch, but that’s it. Nobody touches him but me.” O’Brien grabbed his crotch through a slit in his leather gear and stroked himself. “Watching sounds good to me.” . . . “Uncuff him.” Parker stepped over and produced a key, taking off heavy, leather cuffs quickly. Adam rolled the boy over on his back and knelt on the bed beside him, bending down low and speaking in his ear. To the men standing close by, it might have sounded like endearments . . . I’m going to turn you over my knee and spank you so hard you’ll never get yourself into a mess like this again.” . . . “So you like that idea? You like the idea of lying across my lap and feeling helpless and controlled? Do you want my hand pounding down on your ass until you can’t think anymore and all you can do is beg me to stop?” Chad shivered and gazed up into his eyes. “God, yes,” he said, his words slurring, but with a look of yearning and trust on his upturned face.
Chad watched Adam pull a condom over his dick within seconds and with surprising ease. He . . . heaved Chad’s body over onto his lap, seemingly without effort . . . He positioned Chad so he was lying across his lap, his ass in the air, his cock pressed down between Adam’s thighs . . . He almost smiled at the crazy dream and rubbed his prick against Adam’s thigh. Damn, it felt so good. It was a complete shock when Adam’s hand came down hard on his bare ass, almost lifting him up off his thighs . . . the only reality was the rub of Adam’s pants against his rigid, sensitive cock and the force of his hand as it fell on his ass again and again. The sting on his ass was the only thing that gave him a sense of reality. He bucked and cried out, frantically reaching around behind him for Adam’s touch. Adam had become his only anchor, the only person he could count on or hang onto. Adam’s hand met his and gripped it tightly, though his other hand was still planted in the small of his back, holding him firmly down.
Adam leaned and crooned to him. “Such a good boy. It will be over soon, and you can thank me. Put your hands back down now like a sweet boy and take the rest of your spanking for me. That’s right. Lie still now.” . . . “You want to come for me again, baby?” “Y-Yes,” he mumbled, not feeling quite so confused and dizzy anymore, but still so aroused . . . The orgasm come over him powerful and strong. The hand fell once more. “Then come,” he ordered. Chad strained and cried out. He wanted to obey Adam desperately. His legs went stiff, and his hips still tried to find something to hump against. The hand around his waist lifted, and he slid off Adam’s lap and onto the floor. Shuddering through the aftershocks of his orgasm, he suddenly felt cold, though his butt felt like it was on fire. In a crazy way he liked that he could still feel where Adam’s hands had been on him, and he knew he’d feel it for days.” (locs 607-683)
Answer:
Wasn't that fun. We could keep going, but let's not.
To be clear, I am absolutely NOT suggesting West and Brooks have plagiarized anything. Rather, I am suggesting that the scenarios in this and many recent m/m books are so derivative that they could have been plucked from virtually any previous m/m book (and, in this case, one . This isn't a failing of the authors: it is the genre's. From the outside it must look like easy pickings; there's little other explanation for the crop of appalling books with fourth-hand plots that we readers are having to wade through.
But even aside from all this, the book is just not enjoyable.
Example: at the beginning of the book the Dom tells the cop he has to behave as a sub the entire time they're in the house, not just in public:
"Morrison leaned back in the booth and regarded him closely. “I wonder if you have any real idea of what you’re getting yourself into. My partners in the past have all been required to live the lifestyle twenty-four-seven, both at home and in the club. All my close friends know this. There would be no question of hiding it or deviating from my usual habits.”
but by the end of the book the Dom sings a different tune:
"Adam moved Chad’s fingers gently aside and smiled at him. “But that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I-I have feelings for you too. I…um…shit, why is this so hard to say? I love you too. I didn’t expect to, and it’s thrown me for a loop.” He searched Chad’s face carefully. “I was thinking of asking you to move in with me, to see if you like it, to see if we can make it work.” Chad’s mouth opened in surprise, and Adam rushed on. “Not like a sub or anything. I don’t think you’d be comfortable that way. But if you think it’s something you’d like to do—living here with me—then we could work out the details as we went along. I know this is fast, but…”
Yes, our tough self-assured Dom is now a stammering dish of emotional vanilla pudding. True love will cure this messy need for games of dominance and submission .
Gaaah, instalove, how I curse you!
Plus, also at the end of the book the Dom O.o
1.5 stars for not being completely awful. The writing was perfectly fine, and I only noticed one major copy error (wrong character name) and one weird uncomfortable line that needed editing out.
There was some good stuff: I really liked the scene where Yummy. There was a sense of delicious voyeurism in there, even though it was such a simple idea. It seemed very honest and true. I wish there had been more in this vein.
So, just barely OK for me. If you are a newbie to the genre you may find this enjoyable.
September 4, 2018
DNF because I was bored to death and beginning to get rather exasperated with the misrepresented BDSM.
May 25, 2015
So ... this was an impulse buy for me ... something about the cover just hits all my buttons ... just yummy ... thankfully it was a reasonably good book too ... there was the murder mystery plot devise that kept me guessing till the end ... the whole 'undercover cop being forces to be gay & uncover his hidden desires' plot line was a smidge cliché but enjoyable despite that ... I did find the D/s element a bit iffy but was happy to relax into the story despite my misgivings ... there was some hot smex & kinky toys in the story but you do need to disengage your nit-picking mind to enjoy this book ... because I was in lust with the cover I was probably much more forgiving than usual ... I'll probably re-read this one but it won't make it onto my favourites shelf despite the lickable cover.
10th January 2014 ... have purchased the sequel ...
10th January 2014 ... have purchased the sequel ...
April 3, 2013
This story follows straightundercover cop Chad and college professor Dom Adam as the two work together in order to catch a psychopath who kills BDSM couples.
There is nothing I love more than gay for you and was not disappointed with this. The sex was incredibly hot! But the characters were also well developed and very believable. Their relationship didn't progress too quickly and had the right amount of angst and miscommunication to make a good story.
The one negative was the editing! The name mixups were so bad at one point I was extremely confused on who was dead and who was alive! Just because it's an ebook does not mean the editing can be sloppy. I really don't understand how that crap even happens! I'm sure at least 5-10 ppl read a book before its published but no one notices? COME ON!
There is nothing I love more than gay for you and was not disappointed with this. The sex was incredibly hot! But the characters were also well developed and very believable. Their relationship didn't progress too quickly and had the right amount of angst and miscommunication to make a good story.
The one negative was the editing! The name mixups were so bad at one point I was extremely confused on who was dead and who was alive! Just because it's an ebook does not mean the editing can be sloppy. I really don't understand how that crap even happens! I'm sure at least 5-10 ppl read a book before its published but no one notices? COME ON!
June 18, 2024
I struggled with this one. There was so much that just didn't work. These two definitely had some attraction going on, so that helped. But then you have Chad and the mystery that he was gay but didn't really know it.
I found Chad to be way too over the top in this one. He's supposed to be working on a case, but he's being a complete crybaby about having to actually be submissive. But then we are supposed to believe that he really wants to be a sub, lol. I liked Adam for the most part. The case was also very easy to figure out. I definitely didn't buy into the mystery of all of that.
I have to say though, I know we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but this one is awful. I realize this is the one from 2013, but maybe we should do a cover redesign on this series (because #2 is just is as bad). I had to read this one for a challenge, which is the ONLY reason I picked it up. In fact I passed it by because the cover had me cringing, but it was the shorter of the ones I had to pick from.
I found Chad to be way too over the top in this one. He's supposed to be working on a case, but he's being a complete crybaby about having to actually be submissive. But then we are supposed to believe that he really wants to be a sub, lol. I liked Adam for the most part. The case was also very easy to figure out. I definitely didn't buy into the mystery of all of that.
I have to say though, I know we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but this one is awful. I realize this is the one from 2013, but maybe we should do a cover redesign on this series (because #2 is just is as bad). I had to read this one for a challenge, which is the ONLY reason I picked it up. In fact I passed it by because the cover had me cringing, but it was the shorter of the ones I had to pick from.
December 14, 2021
Taken In Hand
By Shannon West
A killer is murdering committed gay couples who practice BDSM. Corporal Chad William's is asked to go undercover as a sub for Professor Adam Morrison who is a dom and teaches Renaissance Literature at the University.
They throw a few suspects at you to keep you guessing until the end. When a certain someone shows up on their doorstep you've figured it out.
The Professor and the Corporal fall in love, but Adam realizes to keep Chad in his life he'll have to deviate from his usual 24/7 D/S and that Chad is too strong willed to ever be happy in that kind of lifestyle.
It was a good book. Written okay. Not really up to Shannon's usual talent though. So that was kind of disappointing.
By Shannon West
A killer is murdering committed gay couples who practice BDSM. Corporal Chad William's is asked to go undercover as a sub for Professor Adam Morrison who is a dom and teaches Renaissance Literature at the University.
They throw a few suspects at you to keep you guessing until the end. When a certain someone shows up on their doorstep you've figured it out.
The Professor and the Corporal fall in love, but Adam realizes to keep Chad in his life he'll have to deviate from his usual 24/7 D/S and that Chad is too strong willed to ever be happy in that kind of lifestyle.
It was a good book. Written okay. Not really up to Shannon's usual talent though. So that was kind of disappointing.
April 9, 2013
This one had several things I'm not fond of but overall I still enjoyed it. Primarily because of Clay. There was something about him that I really enjoyed - perhaps it was the always fighting with himself stuff. The mystery was o.k. though I guessed by about mid way through what was happening. I like some of West's other books - though they are kind of a strange guilty pleasure - esp. since I'm not fond of bratty subs. This wasn't original but it hit the spot as I'm in the middle of reading something very dark.
July 23, 2015
The story was good, I enjoyed it.
It was a little predictable...I guessed the bad guy, and the reason, right off. (I grew up on soaps...so it wasn't a big surprise.)
The BDSM was a little iffy. I didn't like the why of it. BDSM isn't a cure all.
Wow, okay all of that sounds negative, but really it was an enjoyable book. I don't understand why, with all of the above, that the story still worked for me...but it did. I guess they were easy things to dismiss, without letting it take away from the rest of the story.
It was a little predictable...I guessed the bad guy, and the reason, right off. (I grew up on soaps...so it wasn't a big surprise.)
The BDSM was a little iffy. I didn't like the why of it. BDSM isn't a cure all.
Wow, okay all of that sounds negative, but really it was an enjoyable book. I don't understand why, with all of the above, that the story still worked for me...but it did. I guess they were easy things to dismiss, without letting it take away from the rest of the story.
December 30, 2023
Re-read 1/1/18. Yep, still love it. still stand by my original review. Lovveeed that Adam called Chad 'sweet baby' and 'baby boy' even though, technically, this isn't Daddy kink. On to Book 2!
----------------------
So the murder mystery is kind of ummmkk, and the BDSM is at times kind of iffy, but I really loved Chad and Adam, especially Chad! LOL I could so relate to him. Not a flawless book by any means but the overall result was one that made me smile, awww and laugh out loud. And I LOVED how Adam called him 'boy' and 'baby'. Sigh.
Off to Book 2!
----------------------
So the murder mystery is kind of ummmkk, and the BDSM is at times kind of iffy, but I really loved Chad and Adam, especially Chad! LOL I could so relate to him. Not a flawless book by any means but the overall result was one that made me smile, awww and laugh out loud. And I LOVED how Adam called him 'boy' and 'baby'. Sigh.
Off to Book 2!
dnf
September 21, 2022DNF @ 30% First off, who on earth thought that was a good cover for a bdsm romance? He looks like a minor!
This book was already on thin ice with me when Adam was flippant about a murder investigation after several people died, including a close friend, and mostly focused on his attraction to Chad and annoyance/amusement at Chad being vanilla. Then there was the scene where Chad, at his first (unexpected) visit to a bdsm club is nonconsensually handcuffed, gagged and drugged by other characters and the only way Adam can think to get out of this is to do a nonconsensual public scene with him. Because for some reason them leaving or asking the other doms to leave is out of the question, even though Chad is drugged. This is of course after Adam tells Chad all about how safe bdsm is with contracts and safewords. This is the guy Chad is supposed to trust to take care of him? Not to mention that the reason Adam didn't alert the dungeon monitor was because then they would contact the police and Chad's colleagues would make fun of him. So letting the two guys who drug and rape people get away scot free is preferable to that, apparently.
Adam is also one of those magical mind reader doms who can tell during their very first meeting that Chad is gay and a sub but doesn't known it yet. One of my most disliked character types. It's gonna be a big no from me.
This book was already on thin ice with me when Adam was flippant about a murder investigation after several people died, including a close friend, and mostly focused on his attraction to Chad and annoyance/amusement at Chad being vanilla. Then there was the scene where Chad, at his first (unexpected) visit to a bdsm club is nonconsensually handcuffed, gagged and drugged by other characters and the only way Adam can think to get out of this is to do a nonconsensual public scene with him. Because for some reason them leaving or asking the other doms to leave is out of the question, even though Chad is drugged. This is of course after Adam tells Chad all about how safe bdsm is with contracts and safewords. This is the guy Chad is supposed to trust to take care of him? Not to mention that the reason Adam didn't alert the dungeon monitor was because then they would contact the police and Chad's colleagues would make fun of him. So letting the two guys who drug and rape people get away scot free is preferable to that, apparently.
Adam is also one of those magical mind reader doms who can tell during their very first meeting that Chad is gay and a sub but doesn't known it yet. One of my most disliked character types. It's gonna be a big no from me.
May 30, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, the premise is not completely believable and the murderer, when he or she is finally revealed, is not a huge surprise. But come on folks; it's a romance, not a serious murder mystery, so deal with it. The author does a great job of pacing, taking the time to develop the characters and plot and building tension. The characters' emotions and motivations are believable and realistic; and even the minor characters were developed to some extent. The sex (both kinky and vanilla) is HOT and just how I like it in terms of frequency and heat level.
I'm even less knowledgeable about BDSM than the author so I won't comment on the book's accuracy. However, fair warning for those who haven't read much in this genre: there are a couple scenes that exceeded my personal squick-o-meter. YMMV. The reader has plenty of advance warning, though, so you can skip those parts if you prefer. Shall I name it? Ok:
Also I dislike the book's cover; it's grey and dull and not at all sexy. In fact, I would have read the book sooner had the cover been more appealing. Next time I'll try not to judge...
Unlike other reviewers, I didn't notice many editing errors, so perhaps the ebook has been updated, since I normally spot those. Also, a lot happened between the last chapter and the Epilogue which I wish hadn't been skipped over. It isn't exactly abrupt, but I didn't want the story to end so soon.
I will definitely be reading this author's other books.
I'm even less knowledgeable about BDSM than the author so I won't comment on the book's accuracy. However, fair warning for those who haven't read much in this genre: there are a couple scenes that exceeded my personal squick-o-meter. YMMV. The reader has plenty of advance warning, though, so you can skip those parts if you prefer. Shall I name it? Ok:
Also I dislike the book's cover; it's grey and dull and not at all sexy. In fact, I would have read the book sooner had the cover been more appealing. Next time I'll try not to judge...
Unlike other reviewers, I didn't notice many editing errors, so perhaps the ebook has been updated, since I normally spot those. Also, a lot happened between the last chapter and the Epilogue which I wish hadn't been skipped over. It isn't exactly abrupt, but I didn't want the story to end so soon.
I will definitely be reading this author's other books.
June 26, 2013
This had many problem areas for me, not the least of which were the extremely common theme, easy to figure out mystery, and overuse of terms of endearment (baby boy, being my least fave).
Chad goes undercover posing as Adam's sub to catch the killer. I realize he didn't have much time to prepare, but Adam gave him books, and you'd think he would have put a little effort into his research besides glancing at 50 Shades of Gray (which totally cracked me up).
Yes, this is the typical seemingly straight closeted cop goes undercover posing as gay, only to fall in love and end up with the other guy to live happy ever after.
However, all that aside, I ended up enjoying this quite a bit and wanted to see it through to the end. I'm hoping the next book is a little better.
Chad goes undercover posing as Adam's sub to catch the killer. I realize he didn't have much time to prepare, but Adam gave him books, and you'd think he would have put a little effort into his research besides glancing at 50 Shades of Gray (which totally cracked me up).
Yes, this is the typical seemingly straight closeted cop goes undercover posing as gay, only to fall in love and end up with the other guy to live happy ever after.
However, all that aside, I ended up enjoying this quite a bit and wanted to see it through to the end. I'm hoping the next book is a little better.
March 13, 2015
3.5 stars
I had to let this one set for a while before I rated it... There were some good aspects, but there were some other aspects that distracted me. First of all I figured out the mystery from very very early on. There were numerous editing and proofreading errors, including using the wrong character name on a number of occasions. Also the premise wore a little thin in places. All that said, I didn't want to put this book down and
I had to let this one set for a while before I rated it... There were some good aspects, but there were some other aspects that distracted me. First of all I figured out the mystery from very very early on. There were numerous editing and proofreading errors, including using the wrong character name on a number of occasions. Also the premise wore a little thin in places. All that said, I didn't want to put this book down and
January 18, 2014
Okay. Set aside common sense, realism and/or believability and you will probably enjoy this book as much as I did.
The murder mystery aspect was superfluous. You really just read this book for the "inexperienced at BDSM" cop discovering his submissive side under the tutelage of the experienced Dom/college professor.
It was absolutely yummy.
The murder mystery aspect was superfluous. You really just read this book for the "inexperienced at BDSM" cop discovering his submissive side under the tutelage of the experienced Dom/college professor.
It was absolutely yummy.
June 23, 2014
Very hot and kinky story, although the killer part of the plot was rather thin... this was a romance - an exploration of the developing relationship between Chad and the Dom. Other than a few editorial errors, I really thoroughly enjoyed this story.
April 17, 2013
Aw man, I wish I could rate this book any higher than two stars. I went in really wanting to like it, because the general plot is incredibly entertaining, the murder mystery pretty deftly handled, and boy oh boy the sex scenes in the book are simply phenomenal...whatever else may be wrong with the book, never let it be said that it wasn't hot.
But the fact of the matter is that "Taken in Hand" is simply riddled to the brim with things that irritated me.
1) To begin with, Chad is just so...unlikeable. I can barely take him seriously as the story's protagonist, much less as a police officer, because he seems so comically inept throughout the book. He can't seem to do anything right and proceeds to screw up virtually every single thing he attempts to accomplish, from intricate sexual dynamics to basic social interactions. He's emotionally transparent and trigger-happy at the same time, throwing temper tantrums and letting his anger get the best of him at the most arbitrary provocations. How in the world did this guy manage to become a police corporal? I understand that he's meant to be emotionally volatile due to his self-denial and the events of the story are meant to address that, but how many times must we suffer through some variation of "Chad knew he shouldn't be doing this, but he didn't care, because he was ticked off!!" through this book? At some point it stops being "a tragic flaw" and just becomes "an inability to do anything competently," and it was frustrating instead of endearing. This isn't some punk kid discovering himself in his teen years by the way, this is a grown man entrusted with the protection of the city.
The tipping point came quite early for me in fact, when Adam asked Chad This isn't just incompetence, this is straight up negligence.
To absolutely no one's surprise, Chad then proceeds to . This isn't even him violating some abstruse, hard-to-grasp tenet about the lifestyle, this is Chad willfully neglecting the fundamental basics of his one and only job of being a sub (not to mention he's just kind of being a rude dick for no good reason), and we're treated to more of the same for the next five or six chapters.
2) "Gaydar." Okay, I'm not averse to animal magnetism between guys right off the bat, but when , it becomes less about being a good judge of character and more just straight up sci-fi mindreading. I don't like gaydar as a concept at the best of times so if you're going to use it, you better use it well, and this didn't.
3) Elements of the lifestyle. Now, overall I was pleased with the portrayal of BDSM here, but there are still some iffy elements sprinkled throughout. Shannon West bears some hallmarks of someone who's read a lot about the lifestyle but has limited firsthand experience. In particular, the club that features prominently in the storyline -- Dungeons -- kind of veers back and forth between "vaguely believable" and "exists firmly in an author's imagination." For example, it appears to be . Little details like this strip away at West's "fetish cred."
4) This book is pretty poorly edited. There are handfuls of errors sprinkled throughout, mostly missing punctuations.
All in all, I liked the premise behind "Taken in Hand," I just wish it weren't crammed with some of my least favorite pet peeves.
But the fact of the matter is that "Taken in Hand" is simply riddled to the brim with things that irritated me.
1) To begin with, Chad is just so...unlikeable. I can barely take him seriously as the story's protagonist, much less as a police officer, because he seems so comically inept throughout the book. He can't seem to do anything right and proceeds to screw up virtually every single thing he attempts to accomplish, from intricate sexual dynamics to basic social interactions. He's emotionally transparent and trigger-happy at the same time, throwing temper tantrums and letting his anger get the best of him at the most arbitrary provocations. How in the world did this guy manage to become a police corporal? I understand that he's meant to be emotionally volatile due to his self-denial and the events of the story are meant to address that, but how many times must we suffer through some variation of "Chad knew he shouldn't be doing this, but he didn't care, because he was ticked off!!" through this book? At some point it stops being "a tragic flaw" and just becomes "an inability to do anything competently," and it was frustrating instead of endearing. This isn't some punk kid discovering himself in his teen years by the way, this is a grown man entrusted with the protection of the city.
The tipping point came quite early for me in fact, when Adam asked Chad This isn't just incompetence, this is straight up negligence.
To absolutely no one's surprise, Chad then proceeds to . This isn't even him violating some abstruse, hard-to-grasp tenet about the lifestyle, this is Chad willfully neglecting the fundamental basics of his one and only job of being a sub (not to mention he's just kind of being a rude dick for no good reason), and we're treated to more of the same for the next five or six chapters.
2) "Gaydar." Okay, I'm not averse to animal magnetism between guys right off the bat, but when , it becomes less about being a good judge of character and more just straight up sci-fi mindreading. I don't like gaydar as a concept at the best of times so if you're going to use it, you better use it well, and this didn't.
3) Elements of the lifestyle. Now, overall I was pleased with the portrayal of BDSM here, but there are still some iffy elements sprinkled throughout. Shannon West bears some hallmarks of someone who's read a lot about the lifestyle but has limited firsthand experience. In particular, the club that features prominently in the storyline -- Dungeons -- kind of veers back and forth between "vaguely believable" and "exists firmly in an author's imagination." For example, it appears to be . Little details like this strip away at West's "fetish cred."
4) This book is pretty poorly edited. There are handfuls of errors sprinkled throughout, mostly missing punctuations.
All in all, I liked the premise behind "Taken in Hand," I just wish it weren't crammed with some of my least favorite pet peeves.
April 14, 2013
This was different from what I'd expected. I've been reading some pretty emotionally-taxing stuff lately, so I stocked up on what I thought were fluff books so I could basically that the weekend off. This wasn't quite what I was looking for, but I did find myself enjoying it by the end.
The characters aren't as well fleshed-out as I was hoping for--especially in a BDSM-themed book. Adam says at one point that relationships in that world get serious much more quickly because of the intimacy involved in what they do. And in many of the other BDSM books I've read I have actually felt that attachment to the characters as I accompany them on their journeys. But in this one, I just couldn't seem to connect very well.
Adam was much to stand-off-ish and arrogant for me to relate well to him. And as he's "training" Chad to be his sub, it felt much more like reading a textbook about BDSM than it did like reading a novel.
And Chad. He was just too inconsistent for me to really understand. He'd go from being tough-guy cop one moment to wanting to cuddle with the professor the next. Only to feel guilty for not being in tough-guy-cop mode all the time so he could protect everyone.
And the villain was obvious from fairly early on in the story.
However, all of that being said, by the time I got like 60% into the story, I found myself enjoying it. Adam and Chad did turn out to be lovely together after they both stopped trying to be either the professor or the cop. And the ending was satisfying enough to make me content for having included this in my weekend-o'-fluff.
The characters aren't as well fleshed-out as I was hoping for--especially in a BDSM-themed book. Adam says at one point that relationships in that world get serious much more quickly because of the intimacy involved in what they do. And in many of the other BDSM books I've read I have actually felt that attachment to the characters as I accompany them on their journeys. But in this one, I just couldn't seem to connect very well.
Adam was much to stand-off-ish and arrogant for me to relate well to him. And as he's "training" Chad to be his sub, it felt much more like reading a textbook about BDSM than it did like reading a novel.
And Chad. He was just too inconsistent for me to really understand. He'd go from being tough-guy cop one moment to wanting to cuddle with the professor the next. Only to feel guilty for not being in tough-guy-cop mode all the time so he could protect everyone.
And the villain was obvious from fairly early on in the story.
However, all of that being said, by the time I got like 60% into the story, I found myself enjoying it. Adam and Chad did turn out to be lovely together after they both stopped trying to be either the professor or the cop. And the ending was satisfying enough to make me content for having included this in my weekend-o'-fluff.
October 1, 2014
A very good read. The kink was basically accurately portrayed and read as authentic. Thank you to the author for doing some research and taking the time and care to do it right. No, this isn't supposed to be a manual for doing BDSM but nothing makes me stop reading faster than inaccurate or unrealistic BDSM, especially if the story casts a negative light on it. This one certain did not and I found it enjoyable. The sex was steaming hot. I enjoyed both characters and would love to read more about them. The mystery part is thin and predictable but that's not why I read the story to begin with. This might have been closer to 5 stars except for two issues. One is that I would have liked a little more background on both characters, particularly Adam. I know that's not the focus of the book but I wanted to have a fuller sense of them as whole men. Second, I took off part of a star for poor editing. I'm not the grammar police and struggle with commas myself, but this book had blatant mistakes - sentences that didn't make sense, perhaps because they were edited but not fully. Unclear sentences with too many "his" or "it" to figure out who the author was referring to. I probably added a star because this hit several kinks - police subs and first-time, not only for sex but in BDSM.
July 21, 2013
There is no way that Chad is going to go along with this scheme. None. It’s not plausible, it’s not feasible, yet the thought of it excites him when he knows it shouldn’t.
Several murders have taken place. Doms and subs are being killed and the police want Chad to look into it. The thing is, he has to agree to pose as a sub for Adam, an experienced Dominant. Chad initially refuses, but is talked into it. Thus begins this story of discovery, murder, mayhem, and kink.
Adam agrees to help the police, but in exchange Chad has to agree to pose as his submissive. The thing is Adam believes Chad truly is a sub, and that he’s more than willing to train the young police officer. Chad is very headstrong, and he doesn’t take kindly to orders, even though he’s at war with himself over whether to obey them.
Eventually Chad figures out that Adam is protecting him and taking care of him. He’s also finding that he enjoys Adam making decisions for him, freeing him mind and body. But when the killer strikes, will Chad be able to protect his Dom?
Lucky's 4 1/2 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
Several murders have taken place. Doms and subs are being killed and the police want Chad to look into it. The thing is, he has to agree to pose as a sub for Adam, an experienced Dominant. Chad initially refuses, but is talked into it. Thus begins this story of discovery, murder, mayhem, and kink.
Adam agrees to help the police, but in exchange Chad has to agree to pose as his submissive. The thing is Adam believes Chad truly is a sub, and that he’s more than willing to train the young police officer. Chad is very headstrong, and he doesn’t take kindly to orders, even though he’s at war with himself over whether to obey them.
Eventually Chad figures out that Adam is protecting him and taking care of him. He’s also finding that he enjoys Adam making decisions for him, freeing him mind and body. But when the killer strikes, will Chad be able to protect his Dom?
Lucky's 4 1/2 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
August 27, 2013
This was a quick read, that even though it did have elements of other books that I had read, was still an enjoyable enough read for me.
The attraction was instant, but it took a little time for the MC's to do anything about it. The mystery was easy to work out, but then I just sat back and enjoyed the story of how these two men found there way to a long term relationship.
I liked both Chad, the police officer, and Adam, the professor. I liked watching Chad come to terms with his sexuality and his other needs.
I do wish that it had been longer, but that is a common complaint of mine. I don't like leaving books once I have become attached to the characters. Maybe I should cut down my reading time so books last me for longer then a couple of hours.
The attraction was instant, but it took a little time for the MC's to do anything about it. The mystery was easy to work out, but then I just sat back and enjoyed the story of how these two men found there way to a long term relationship.
I liked both Chad, the police officer, and Adam, the professor. I liked watching Chad come to terms with his sexuality and his other needs.
I do wish that it had been longer, but that is a common complaint of mine. I don't like leaving books once I have become attached to the characters. Maybe I should cut down my reading time so books last me for longer then a couple of hours.
July 29, 2013
This was a surprising little gem. I wasn't sure what to think, but it definitely exceeded expectations.
There were a few little bits that kept it from a 5 star read. I'm not sure about the "knowing by looking that Chad was submissive..." And there was a definite touch of insta-love going on. But that wasn't so jarring, because it was made very clear that there were still issues to be worked out and through.
Overall though Chad and Adam make a very hot couple. Their relationship is interesting to say the least. The writing was great and made the whole story come alive. This was the first book I've read by this duo, but it definitely won't be the last. After all I need to know what happens next with Adam and Chad...
There were a few little bits that kept it from a 5 star read. I'm not sure about the "knowing by looking that Chad was submissive..." And there was a definite touch of insta-love going on. But that wasn't so jarring, because it was made very clear that there were still issues to be worked out and through.
Overall though Chad and Adam make a very hot couple. Their relationship is interesting to say the least. The writing was great and made the whole story come alive. This was the first book I've read by this duo, but it definitely won't be the last. After all I need to know what happens next with Adam and Chad...
October 6, 2013
I will happily give this a five if there is a follow up book because the characters need a little more depth. The stroy was good and although I had sort of worked out who the murderer was I wasn't sure until his identity was revealed. The two character, Adam and Chad are very appealing and Adam is a sensible Dom. I think things between them went a whole lot faster due to the fact that Chad had to quickly learn to be a sub to catch the murderer. It was very realistic that he found it difficult but perhaps he should have been able to play his part better. I shall certaily be reading more by this author.
August 8, 2014
1.2 stars
Me and this book...NO. Me desespere mucho. To much fckin talking and not enough action. I will admit I did like the discovery of the villain but no I didn't like.
Me and this book...NO. Me desespere mucho. To much fckin talking and not enough action. I will admit I did like the discovery of the villain but no I didn't like.
April 29, 2015
I would say 3 1/2 stars. It was entertaining and somewhat educational. Hah! A few eye rolls. Nothing too deep considering the content. The cover snatched me up.
October 12, 2024
Short Review:
Taken in Hand is an intense, emotional ride that delves into female dominance and male submission, focusing on the journey of a man who finds himself completely under the control of a powerful woman. The story combines strong BDSM themes with romance, making it a great read for those who enjoy the mental and emotional dynamics of power exchange.
Summary:
The story revolves around dominant women who take full control of their submissive male partners, guiding them through both emotional and physical transformation. These women don’t just dominate sexually—they take control over every aspect of their partners' lives. The men must come to terms with their submission, often facing struggles that test their pride, self-worth, and understanding of their own desires.
The book places heavy emphasis on the psychological aspects of dominance and submission, as the female characters help their submissive partners grow within the structure of a taken-in-hand relationship. While there are strong BDSM elements, there’s also a softer, romantic side to the relationships, as both parties learn to trust and depend on one another.
Writing & Personal Enjoyment:
Shannon West and L.L. Brooks create an engaging story that pulls you into the world of taken-in-hand relationships, showing how these dynamics go far beyond the bedroom. The writing strikes a balance between steamy, intense scenes of dominance and submission, and the emotional journey of the characters.
What stood out to me was how the authors focus on the men’s internal struggles. The submissives in this story are not just sexually dominated—they’re emotionally and mentally challenged to rethink their roles in the relationship. This gave the story depth and made it more than just a standard BDSM romance.
For anyone interested in exploring the mental and emotional aspects of submission, Taken in Hand is a satisfying read. It combines all the intense elements of BDSM with genuine emotional growth between the characters, which I found really compelling. If you enjoy stories where dominance and submission are deeply rooted in both physical and emotional dynamics, this one is for you.
Taken in Hand is an intense, emotional ride that delves into female dominance and male submission, focusing on the journey of a man who finds himself completely under the control of a powerful woman. The story combines strong BDSM themes with romance, making it a great read for those who enjoy the mental and emotional dynamics of power exchange.
Summary:
The story revolves around dominant women who take full control of their submissive male partners, guiding them through both emotional and physical transformation. These women don’t just dominate sexually—they take control over every aspect of their partners' lives. The men must come to terms with their submission, often facing struggles that test their pride, self-worth, and understanding of their own desires.
The book places heavy emphasis on the psychological aspects of dominance and submission, as the female characters help their submissive partners grow within the structure of a taken-in-hand relationship. While there are strong BDSM elements, there’s also a softer, romantic side to the relationships, as both parties learn to trust and depend on one another.
Writing & Personal Enjoyment:
Shannon West and L.L. Brooks create an engaging story that pulls you into the world of taken-in-hand relationships, showing how these dynamics go far beyond the bedroom. The writing strikes a balance between steamy, intense scenes of dominance and submission, and the emotional journey of the characters.
What stood out to me was how the authors focus on the men’s internal struggles. The submissives in this story are not just sexually dominated—they’re emotionally and mentally challenged to rethink their roles in the relationship. This gave the story depth and made it more than just a standard BDSM romance.
For anyone interested in exploring the mental and emotional aspects of submission, Taken in Hand is a satisfying read. It combines all the intense elements of BDSM with genuine emotional growth between the characters, which I found really compelling. If you enjoy stories where dominance and submission are deeply rooted in both physical and emotional dynamics, this one is for you.
September 5, 2023
Not recommending to anyone expecting a good story
1. Chad wasn’t stubborn, he was childish and stupid. He almost blew the case numerous times just by refusing to play a role. And he would start a fight with Adam and blame Adam. He was like a four year old.
2. Adam was extremely uptight, and combining that with his extremely clinical and dry explanations for everything related to BDSM, he was not believable as a Dom. Just some who read books and perused websites for hundreds of hours to learn how it all worked.
3. None of the sex scenes were hot, but probably because there was way more talking and explaining than actual sex.
4. The reasoning behind the investigation made no sense. This guy knew this guy, let’s go investigate him. What??? And why was there always such lax security by the police? And how did the cop get shot outside of the house, but they found him inside? The cop didn’t have a key and neither did the killer. Who’s keeping their door unlocked in the middle of a hunt for a serial killer???
5. THE EDITING WAS ATROCIOUS. There is no way this was run by an editor, it had to have gone straight to self-publishing
1. Chad wasn’t stubborn, he was childish and stupid. He almost blew the case numerous times just by refusing to play a role. And he would start a fight with Adam and blame Adam. He was like a four year old.
2. Adam was extremely uptight, and combining that with his extremely clinical and dry explanations for everything related to BDSM, he was not believable as a Dom. Just some who read books and perused websites for hundreds of hours to learn how it all worked.
3. None of the sex scenes were hot, but probably because there was way more talking and explaining than actual sex.
4. The reasoning behind the investigation made no sense. This guy knew this guy, let’s go investigate him. What??? And why was there always such lax security by the police? And how did the cop get shot outside of the house, but they found him inside? The cop didn’t have a key and neither did the killer. Who’s keeping their door unlocked in the middle of a hunt for a serial killer???
5. THE EDITING WAS ATROCIOUS. There is no way this was run by an editor, it had to have gone straight to self-publishing
May 23, 2018
I spent the whole time I was reading this book thinking it was a pale imitation of Power Exchange. They have a very similar premise, a serial killer is targeting male couples in the BDSM community and a during his investigation a cop gets involved with a Dom which is both his first foray into being with a man and BDSM. This book just isn't done as well, the characters aren't as well drawn, the plot isn't as believable, the sex isn't as hot. There's nothing wrong with it, it just left me feeling a bit meh. Maybe I'll go and read Power Exchange again now.
June 25, 2019
The writing was incredibly poor
The writing was incredibly poor. There were inconsistencies in the story and no effort at editing. The sex scenes were hot.
The writing was incredibly poor. There were inconsistencies in the story and no effort at editing. The sex scenes were hot.
January 3, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this
August 6, 2024
A m/m murder mystery with BDSM. Written well and easy read.
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