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Fault Lines #1
Dangerously Happy
Aidan has always played it safe. Instead of pursuing his dream of creating innovative music that makes his soul sing, he settled for a degree in software, a job in a cubicle, and a spot in a generic band with his buddies.
And he's always been straight. But when he's seduced by magnetic local literary luminary Dario, Aidan must decide whether to keep playing it safe, or succumb to a ravenous passion and a nourishing love unlike anything he's experienced before. Will he find the courage to go after real happiness if it means admitting he's in love with a man?
Their journey together isn't easy. Sometimes it isn't safe. Even if Aidan has the courage to admit he's in love with Dario, can he endure the repercussions of the traumatic event in Dario's past?
This novel has mature content and is intended for readers over the age of eighteen. Although this is a story about two men falling in love, there are extended, explicit sex scenes, including some BDSM, m/m/m and m/m/f scenes. There are references to sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers, although there is no graphic depiction of rape in the book.
And he's always been straight. But when he's seduced by magnetic local literary luminary Dario, Aidan must decide whether to keep playing it safe, or succumb to a ravenous passion and a nourishing love unlike anything he's experienced before. Will he find the courage to go after real happiness if it means admitting he's in love with a man?
Their journey together isn't easy. Sometimes it isn't safe. Even if Aidan has the courage to admit he's in love with Dario, can he endure the repercussions of the traumatic event in Dario's past?
This novel has mature content and is intended for readers over the age of eighteen. Although this is a story about two men falling in love, there are extended, explicit sex scenes, including some BDSM, m/m/m and m/m/f scenes. There are references to sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers, although there is no graphic depiction of rape in the book.
298 pages, ebook
First published May 18, 2014
About the author
Varian Krylov
16 books497 followersGrowing up near Los Angeles, I spent much of my time frolicking in the Pacific Ocean and penning angst-twisted poetry. Now I'm living in sunny Spain writing pathos-riddled fiction. Ironically, two of my favorite things are traveling, and swimming in the ocean, despite increasingly intense phobias of sharks and flying.
I've always loved the music and substance of words, always loved writing in well-worn notebooks by hand, tapping at the keys of the computer, and, of course, conjuring up stories.
And from my earliest memories, I've always been fascinated—maybe obsessed?—with sex and sexuality.
In my writing, sex is the medium, the expression, and the tool of discovery for my characters' insecurities, the needs that drive them, the comfort they can't live without, the joy and relish of life that makes each of them intense, strange, and alluring.
I've always loved the music and substance of words, always loved writing in well-worn notebooks by hand, tapping at the keys of the computer, and, of course, conjuring up stories.
And from my earliest memories, I've always been fascinated—maybe obsessed?—with sex and sexuality.
In my writing, sex is the medium, the expression, and the tool of discovery for my characters' insecurities, the needs that drive them, the comfort they can't live without, the joy and relish of life that makes each of them intense, strange, and alluring.
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May 21, 2014
2 that's-friggin'-all-there-was-to-it??? stars. Review posted May 25, 2014
It started off innocent enough, like this…
…and then later on the entire plot (excuse me, there was actually no plot at all) turned into a HUGE fuck-tastic fest. Holy friggin'…um…I'm going to zip it, I mean my mouth not my pants. To be honest, I don't walk around with unzipped pants anyway.
To sum it up in a nutshell
Schmaltz meets slimy, creep-tastic sex maniacs. Proper words elude me to express how friggin' annoyed I am!!!!
OMG, I need to calm down before I start to review this book. I don't even know what to review here, tbh.
******************************************
All right, I did calm down. Please bear with me because I will use the term "friggin'" very generously since I don't intend to stress f@ck too much.
The endearments baby, darling and love…oh, and let's not forget sweet, irritated the heck outta me. Also, that sweet and mischievous smile that Dario put on his face all the friggin' time disturbed me and it friggin' annoyed me! What should have been sweet about that book anyway? I can't help and point out how incongruous it felt to mix the terms of sweet, tender, beautiful etc. with creeps the likes of Xavier and Dario. Well, and don't get me started on the repetitiveness of sad and beautiful. All the characters in this story were friggin' weird; I just couldn't make a connection. I felt strangely uncomfortable and oddly detached from what was happening. There was absolutely no character development whatsoever and the lack of a proper plot was friggin' pathetic. The sole purpose of Dangerously Happy was a bunch of oddballs who f@cked their brains out. AD FRIGGIN' NAUSEAM. I mean it's ok to fill a novella with sex but an entire full length novel? I find it pretty deplorable.
And of course we've had the mandatory in the form of Dario who'd and he needed to exorcise his issues with kinky sex. When Xavier it was bound to make him feel better. Er…that's me being sarcastic. I am so friggin' past the subject of a f@ck. *gags* Gimme a break please!! That Xavier dude? What was the purpose of that weirdo anyway? He acted and f@cked like a friggin' creep. At 80 % I was close to yet another DNF and then at 81 % the torture ended out of the blue when the story quit on a schmaltzy note. Thanks for small favors. Hmm…what was the resolution anyhow? I had to friggin' read that twice. My verdict at 81 %: one star but I added a second star because some of the sex scenes were really hot and I liked the beginning.
Bottom line, I absolutely loved Krylov's Hurt to pieces. I really devoured that book and I'm sorry to say that Dangerously Happy didn't even scratch the surface of the awesomeness that was Hurt. Not. By. A. Long. Shot. In fact, I found it shockingly weak and can't stress enough how incredibly disappointed I am.
I wish you all an orgasmic reading experience but there's nothing more to this story than that. And after a while even that gets plain old and boring.
Warning
Dangerously Happy contains lots and I mean lots of smut-tastic sex. M/M, M/F, M/F/M, and M/M/M, bondage, flogging (more than only flogging actually), toys and voyeurism.
It started off innocent enough, like this…
…and then later on the entire plot (excuse me, there was actually no plot at all) turned into a HUGE fuck-tastic fest. Holy friggin'…um…I'm going to zip it, I mean my mouth not my pants. To be honest, I don't walk around with unzipped pants anyway.
To sum it up in a nutshell
Schmaltz meets slimy, creep-tastic sex maniacs. Proper words elude me to express how friggin' annoyed I am!!!!
OMG, I need to calm down before I start to review this book. I don't even know what to review here, tbh.
******************************************
All right, I did calm down. Please bear with me because I will use the term "friggin'" very generously since I don't intend to stress f@ck too much.
The endearments baby, darling and love…oh, and let's not forget sweet, irritated the heck outta me. Also, that sweet and mischievous smile that Dario put on his face all the friggin' time disturbed me and it friggin' annoyed me! What should have been sweet about that book anyway? I can't help and point out how incongruous it felt to mix the terms of sweet, tender, beautiful etc. with creeps the likes of Xavier and Dario. Well, and don't get me started on the repetitiveness of sad and beautiful. All the characters in this story were friggin' weird; I just couldn't make a connection. I felt strangely uncomfortable and oddly detached from what was happening. There was absolutely no character development whatsoever and the lack of a proper plot was friggin' pathetic. The sole purpose of Dangerously Happy was a bunch of oddballs who f@cked their brains out. AD FRIGGIN' NAUSEAM. I mean it's ok to fill a novella with sex but an entire full length novel? I find it pretty deplorable.
And of course we've had the mandatory in the form of Dario who'd and he needed to exorcise his issues with kinky sex. When Xavier it was bound to make him feel better. Er…that's me being sarcastic. I am so friggin' past the subject of a f@ck. *gags* Gimme a break please!! That Xavier dude? What was the purpose of that weirdo anyway? He acted and f@cked like a friggin' creep. At 80 % I was close to yet another DNF and then at 81 % the torture ended out of the blue when the story quit on a schmaltzy note. Thanks for small favors. Hmm…what was the resolution anyhow? I had to friggin' read that twice. My verdict at 81 %: one star but I added a second star because some of the sex scenes were really hot and I liked the beginning.
Bottom line, I absolutely loved Krylov's Hurt to pieces. I really devoured that book and I'm sorry to say that Dangerously Happy didn't even scratch the surface of the awesomeness that was Hurt. Not. By. A. Long. Shot. In fact, I found it shockingly weak and can't stress enough how incredibly disappointed I am.
I wish you all an orgasmic reading experience but there's nothing more to this story than that. And after a while even that gets plain old and boring.
Warning
Dangerously Happy contains lots and I mean lots of smut-tastic sex. M/M, M/F, M/F/M, and M/M/M, bondage, flogging (more than only flogging actually), toys and voyeurism.
May 17, 2014
If you’re an avid M/M reader, you might share my opinion that with this genre terrific covers only happen once in a blue moon. So let’s take a minute to appreciate this glorious cover by photographer Ekaterina Zakharova...
Ahh!
So a few months ago I chatted with friends about the mysterious and sad disappearance of Varian Krylov, an author who has the uncanny habit of tapping right into the darkest niches of your mind, and whose nifty explorations of disturbingly erotic taboo desires evoke a variety of emotions, varying from feeling dirty and excited to embarrassed and squeaked out. So imagine the exclamation marks heavy frenzy when Varian Krylov contacted BioB after a 6 year (!) hiatus to let us know that she was about to publish a brand new erotic M/M romance:
Me: Holy moly! It IS Krylov herself!
Ilhem: Oh My God! Varian Krylov is alive and she's publishing!!!
Shelley: Oh this is so exciting!
Ilhem: Can I say it again? Krylov is BACK! Just. WOOT. (...) Some readers are going to be ecstatic! Really, it's BIG. She's truly a powerful writer; she reaches deep, her prose is wonderful, but her stories are not for everyone.
Ilhem is right, of course. Krylov expertly plays with out-of-your-comfort-zone subjects that not everyone will fancy. But those who love their darker fare and mind fuckery will be thrilled to be able to plunge into Dangerously Happy. This new book doesn’t touch upon the scariest taboos that are out there though. In fact, it starts out as a deliciously tender gay for you story that combines all the tasty ingredients that come with the trope: the quiet lusting, confusing emotions, blushes, cherry popping and sweet angst.
There’s the blurb, but in a nut-shell; the story kick-starts when Aiden one night misses his band mate’s text about canceling their rehearsal at Dario’s enormous loft, the result of his successful writing career. An awkward Aiden (the enigmatic Dario and he never really hung out before) ends up playing one of his solo songs for Dario and, when he reads an excerpt from one of Dario’s stories in return, he is horrified when the men in the story don’t leave him, ahem, unaffected.
GFY lovers, get in line! And if shy anal virgins aren’t reason enough to lean back and sigh, the narrator’s voice, his emotions, seemed so realistic to me, that it almost felt as if Krylov plucked my own thoughts out of my head and wrote them down. So different from stories in which you have to suspend disbelief when the plot is pushed forward by TSTL MCs who dwell in silly misunderstandings. I have to say, in comparison to Aiden’s voice, Dario’s dialogue seemed overly stylized. Maybe I’m just envious that I don’t have his way with words in real life, but he sometimes came across as a saint rather than a man of flesh and blood.
Back to the story itself. Sweet and endearing as the beginning may be, Dangerously Happy doesn’t remain a cotton candy fest as the plot slowly shifts to dark secrets and past traumas. Since it would be a shame if you pick up this book expecting a fluffily romantic GFY and then suddenly get smacked in the face with both MMF and MMM ménages a trôis (the F stands for graphic scenes containing girly bits here!), I’ll point out these things now. Other potential triggers include; rape fantasies, humiliation, references to rape and, for those who share my pet peeve, the EXCESSIVE usage of endearments (baby, darling, love, sweet) in certain scenes – and in a creepy manner (Krylov mentioned that the surplus of endearments will be given the axe in a next version of the book though, so fear not!).
This doesn’t mean that what started as a beautiful GFY ends up in a depraved sexathon. Despite Dangerously Happy slowly getting grimmer, despite the lovers risking to drift apart over inner demons, their interactions remain ever so gentle and loving, tipping over the edge into sappiness.. at least, on the surface. I think there is more to this book than just a love story between two guys. There’s a creepy undercurrent of cunning manipulation, it can thrive in this uncomfortably imbalanced relationship. I’m sure not everyone will detect or care about this though. Isn’t it interesting that you can choose how to perceive this story?
Sigh! I keep going back and forth without being able to give a resolute verdict... I found that there was a glaring contrast between the first part, perhaps half, of the book and what came after. The sweet and amusing GFY takeoff is easily worth 4.5 stars. As is the writing, because, boy, Krylov can write! But the ensuing soup of loose elements – a thin crime thread, past traumas calling for desperate (but plausible?!) measures, third persons fluttering in and out of the sex life of the MCs – that were all mashed together without a brilliant ulterior motive or even an interesting climax, was a disappointment.
In the end, this is an intimate, erotic and eerie read. And as such I would recommend it. But be prepared that it starts on a higher note than it ends and, in my eyes, shouldn’t have been published just yet. It would benefit from a tidying up session, spelling/grammar-wise as well as plot-wise.
Curious about Varian Krylov’s interests, works and prolonged absence? Check back for her guest post next month!
Ahh!
So a few months ago I chatted with friends about the mysterious and sad disappearance of Varian Krylov, an author who has the uncanny habit of tapping right into the darkest niches of your mind, and whose nifty explorations of disturbingly erotic taboo desires evoke a variety of emotions, varying from feeling dirty and excited to embarrassed and squeaked out. So imagine the exclamation marks heavy frenzy when Varian Krylov contacted BioB after a 6 year (!) hiatus to let us know that she was about to publish a brand new erotic M/M romance:
Me: Holy moly! It IS Krylov herself!
Ilhem: Oh My God! Varian Krylov is alive and she's publishing!!!
Shelley: Oh this is so exciting!
Ilhem: Can I say it again? Krylov is BACK! Just. WOOT. (...) Some readers are going to be ecstatic! Really, it's BIG. She's truly a powerful writer; she reaches deep, her prose is wonderful, but her stories are not for everyone.
Ilhem is right, of course. Krylov expertly plays with out-of-your-comfort-zone subjects that not everyone will fancy. But those who love their darker fare and mind fuckery will be thrilled to be able to plunge into Dangerously Happy. This new book doesn’t touch upon the scariest taboos that are out there though. In fact, it starts out as a deliciously tender gay for you story that combines all the tasty ingredients that come with the trope: the quiet lusting, confusing emotions, blushes, cherry popping and sweet angst.
There’s the blurb, but in a nut-shell; the story kick-starts when Aiden one night misses his band mate’s text about canceling their rehearsal at Dario’s enormous loft, the result of his successful writing career. An awkward Aiden (the enigmatic Dario and he never really hung out before) ends up playing one of his solo songs for Dario and, when he reads an excerpt from one of Dario’s stories in return, he is horrified when the men in the story don’t leave him, ahem, unaffected.
"You know," he said, his voice lower and softer now, "my book got a rave review from the New York Times. But I like this review better."
I was nervous. I babbled. "You should actually be proud, because thinking about two guys has never had an effect like this on me before. Not even close."
"No?"
"No." (...)
"This is a first for me, too," he said in that soft low voice I’d never heard before that night.
"What’s a first?" I asked, feeling like every word was a life preserver holding me above the thrashing waves of panic drowning me.
"I’ve never hit on a straight guy before."
GFY lovers, get in line! And if shy anal virgins aren’t reason enough to lean back and sigh, the narrator’s voice, his emotions, seemed so realistic to me, that it almost felt as if Krylov plucked my own thoughts out of my head and wrote them down. So different from stories in which you have to suspend disbelief when the plot is pushed forward by TSTL MCs who dwell in silly misunderstandings. I have to say, in comparison to Aiden’s voice, Dario’s dialogue seemed overly stylized. Maybe I’m just envious that I don’t have his way with words in real life, but he sometimes came across as a saint rather than a man of flesh and blood.
Back to the story itself. Sweet and endearing as the beginning may be, Dangerously Happy doesn’t remain a cotton candy fest as the plot slowly shifts to dark secrets and past traumas. Since it would be a shame if you pick up this book expecting a fluffily romantic GFY and then suddenly get smacked in the face with both MMF and MMM ménages a trôis (the F stands for graphic scenes containing girly bits here!), I’ll point out these things now. Other potential triggers include; rape fantasies, humiliation, references to rape and, for those who share my pet peeve, the EXCESSIVE usage of endearments (baby, darling, love, sweet) in certain scenes – and in a creepy manner (Krylov mentioned that the surplus of endearments will be given the axe in a next version of the book though, so fear not!).
This doesn’t mean that what started as a beautiful GFY ends up in a depraved sexathon. Despite Dangerously Happy slowly getting grimmer, despite the lovers risking to drift apart over inner demons, their interactions remain ever so gentle and loving, tipping over the edge into sappiness.. at least, on the surface. I think there is more to this book than just a love story between two guys. There’s a creepy undercurrent of cunning manipulation, it can thrive in this uncomfortably imbalanced relationship. I’m sure not everyone will detect or care about this though. Isn’t it interesting that you can choose how to perceive this story?
Sigh! I keep going back and forth without being able to give a resolute verdict... I found that there was a glaring contrast between the first part, perhaps half, of the book and what came after. The sweet and amusing GFY takeoff is easily worth 4.5 stars. As is the writing, because, boy, Krylov can write! But the ensuing soup of loose elements – a thin crime thread, past traumas calling for desperate (but plausible?!) measures, third persons fluttering in and out of the sex life of the MCs – that were all mashed together without a brilliant ulterior motive or even an interesting climax, was a disappointment.
In the end, this is an intimate, erotic and eerie read. And as such I would recommend it. But be prepared that it starts on a higher note than it ends and, in my eyes, shouldn’t have been published just yet. It would benefit from a tidying up session, spelling/grammar-wise as well as plot-wise.
Curious about Varian Krylov’s interests, works and prolonged absence? Check back for her guest post next month!
May 19, 2014
Before I get to my review, it is important to me that those reading this understand that this book is a LOVE STORY. The author Varian Krylov has placed it in the category Gay Romance/Erotica. I read and fell in love with this book as a love story. Any one rating and reviewing this book as anything other than a love story completely missed the point IMO. Am I telling you this to throw shade at another reviewer? No. Am I telling you this for a kick back on book sales commission? No. Am I telling you this because I believe so strongly in this book that I want everyone to have all the facts before deciding to pass on it? YES.
This is a crazy, beautiful ride of a love story between a creatively stunted "straight" man named Aidan and an incredibly damaged but surviving as-best-as-he-can gay man named Dario. The men quickly fall madly, passionately in love and the book follows their rocky and sometimes dangerous journey to their HEA.
Because of a trama in Dario's past, the fact that Dario is Aidan's first male lover and that jealously seems to play a part in Aidan's feelings towards Dario's former suitors, sex plays the main role in this book. As the source of great love and comfort and great angst and pain. And, holy fuck, was it hot and kinky and some of the best I've ever, EVER read! If you are good to go with all kinds of sex related goodies, don't spoil yourself, but for those that are squeamish, here is a list of some things that may be hard limits for you: I can safely and honestly say, no scenes were gratuitous and all worked as necessary plot points to advance the story. Normally, all three of those things leave me cold, but they worked for me here this situation. 5 stars worth!
I don't want to delve into the story anymore than that for fear of spoiling anything else. Dangerously Happy is full of passion and romance and unbridled lust and love and I COULD NOT get enough. This book is going right, straight to the fuck yeah, 5+ stars shelf and actually into the top 10 of all time. Just like Public Display of Everything last month, I feel like Dangerously Happy was written just for me, with all my favorites in mind. Romance, BDSM, GFY and hurt/healing/comfort.
HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended to all M/M romance readers, unless you don't do some of the harsher psychological BDSM.
Oh, want a close up of the fabulous cover? Thought you might. ;)
P.S. I'm quite sure someone will bring up the debate about BDSM being a poor substitute for psychotherapy, and while I agree with that 100% in real world situations, this is my fun escape time. Little stuff like that normally doesn't bother me in fiction novels and it certainly didn't bother me here either.
Another note: The book actually ends at about 80% in iBooks and on Kindle. The last 20% are samples of the author's other works. This does not change the page number of the novel, but it may change your perception of the ending if you think you still have almost a quarter of the book to go. You don't! Thanks to GR friend Teodora Kostova for the warning! If I hadn't had this information, I'm quite sure I'd have been disappointed.
May 24, 2014
This is the worst book I've read all year, and I've some read doozies so that's saying something.
This book features a GFY wherein the straight protagonist is heterosexual for all of 5% of the book. The period of questioning lasts the span of a blink of the eye.
It also features the most horrendously bloated, pretentious, purple, overly convoluted, not-deep, drama-llama prose I've come across in a while.
The dialogue can be described in exactly the same way except for the rather ridiculous and awkward inclusion of too many endearments. There's "love", "sweet", "baby" et al in extreme proliferation. I mean in every single piece of dialogue and more than once in one address, at that.
Then there is the psycho-sexual abuse that was supposed to be an adventurous exploration of sexual evolution but was the mental manipulation one would associate with an older, lecherous person preying on the naive rather. The explanation for why Dario needed to not be monogamous was skin-crawling. Every time Aidan achieved another plateau here were his 'boundaries being pushed again' or rather his perception being molded into that which allowed Dario to have his cake and eat it too.
This relationship was just weird and disturbing. It was just rapey to me and not in a good way. The weirdness was especially compounded by the fact that Dario is, I'd venture to say, clinically depressed. All the keep Dario happy tasks Aidan must undertake is also evidence of an abusive relationship.
And, bringing up the rear, as the absolute sickest element in this book is the BDSM. This is therapeutic d/s at its most ignorant. Feeling guilt after enacting vigilante justice, can't recover from past sexual assault, fearful of impermanence in your relationship with your bi boyfriend? Never fear, whips, chains, slaps and no safe words are here to heal all that ails you. Seriously, wtf?!
So, there you have it readers, this book is stupid PWP. But the porn is awful, unsexy, abundant and redundant; the prose wherewith the little plot is written is nauseating; the characters are paper-thin and annoying; the premise is disturbing; the sequence of events have sprung from poor fantasy and has no bearing on reality; and the emotional and sexual manipulation is psychologically rapey.
I hated it. From beginning to are-we-there-yet end.
This book features a GFY wherein the straight protagonist is heterosexual for all of 5% of the book. The period of questioning lasts the span of a blink of the eye.
It also features the most horrendously bloated, pretentious, purple, overly convoluted, not-deep, drama-llama prose I've come across in a while.
The dialogue can be described in exactly the same way except for the rather ridiculous and awkward inclusion of too many endearments. There's "love", "sweet", "baby" et al in extreme proliferation. I mean in every single piece of dialogue and more than once in one address, at that.
Then there is the psycho-sexual abuse that was supposed to be an adventurous exploration of sexual evolution but was the mental manipulation one would associate with an older, lecherous person preying on the naive rather. The explanation for why Dario needed to not be monogamous was skin-crawling. Every time Aidan achieved another plateau here were his 'boundaries being pushed again' or rather his perception being molded into that which allowed Dario to have his cake and eat it too.
This relationship was just weird and disturbing. It was just rapey to me and not in a good way. The weirdness was especially compounded by the fact that Dario is, I'd venture to say, clinically depressed. All the keep Dario happy tasks Aidan must undertake is also evidence of an abusive relationship.
And, bringing up the rear, as the absolute sickest element in this book is the BDSM. This is therapeutic d/s at its most ignorant. Feeling guilt after enacting vigilante justice, can't recover from past sexual assault, fearful of impermanence in your relationship with your bi boyfriend? Never fear, whips, chains, slaps and no safe words are here to heal all that ails you. Seriously, wtf?!
So, there you have it readers, this book is stupid PWP. But the porn is awful, unsexy, abundant and redundant; the prose wherewith the little plot is written is nauseating; the characters are paper-thin and annoying; the premise is disturbing; the sequence of events have sprung from poor fantasy and has no bearing on reality; and the emotional and sexual manipulation is psychologically rapey.
I hated it. From beginning to are-we-there-yet end.
July 27, 2014
WARNING: ROLLERCOASTER READ
I’m putting my disclaimer first. I liked this, but it will not be for everyone. It’s wordy and angsty and meandering at times. I like being in someone else’s head, seeing how they interpret and work through things. I also like slice of life tales. They're not my favorite thing to order off the menu, but I do like them from time to time.
Aidan is a curious person, a musician and has never been attracted to a guy prior to Dario. He makes some decisions that are ill-advised, risky and a couple that left me gaping like a guppy. Aidan also circles the motherfucking wagons. Often.
Dangerously Happy is told entirely through Aidan. He and Dario have travelled in the same circles for three years. His band is playing regularly at Dario's loft. Dario is a writer with a past and enigmatic as fuck. Dario is also… a hot mess. Poor guy. Talk about reckless. He sure did keep meinterested flummoxed which kept me turning those pages.
These two together are the poster children for codependency, but they have some of the hottest sex. Like ever. Like this rivals Fight hotness-wise. Though there was a fair amount of man tears and drama.
But… the sex! Ms. Krylov has a gift. The gift of erotica. There was:
boy/boy sex
boy/girl sex
boy/girl/boy sex
boy/boy/boy sex
kinky sex
monster cocks
bondage
felching
whipping
humiliation
mindfuckery
And Xavi.
I’m diving head first into Bad Things. Seriously, I may leave skid marks. Xavi explodes off the page. Xavi carries around ginormous glass butt plugs in his jacket, I guess, just in case. Xavi is compared to Drago from Game of Thrones divided by Xerxes from 300 AND he’s a sadist!
*quelt*
Did I mention I was leaving skid marks?
The writing style is full o’words. WORDS. WORDS. WORDS. So many words. ALL the words.
Some are pretty, some are… questionable. Please don’t ever use: “aperture”, “fleshy bulb”, or “turgid dome” when describing boy parts in my presence. They all make me grimace and/or cringe.
It bogs down in spots when Aidan goes off on one of his tangents, but there was an authenticity to it that I appreciated. I also loved all the musical references. *coughs*Thom Yorke*coughs*
Generally, I enjoy couplings with a more structured D/s relationship than these two have. Given time they could evolve into that (if they stay together), but at this point they’re exploring kink. Did I mention it was fuckhot?
Not for everyone for sure. It was for me, but I've embraced my inner whackadoodle.
I’m putting my disclaimer first. I liked this, but it will not be for everyone. It’s wordy and angsty and meandering at times. I like being in someone else’s head, seeing how they interpret and work through things. I also like slice of life tales. They're not my favorite thing to order off the menu, but I do like them from time to time.
Aidan is a curious person, a musician and has never been attracted to a guy prior to Dario. He makes some decisions that are ill-advised, risky and a couple that left me gaping like a guppy. Aidan also circles the motherfucking wagons. Often.
Dangerously Happy is told entirely through Aidan. He and Dario have travelled in the same circles for three years. His band is playing regularly at Dario's loft. Dario is a writer with a past and enigmatic as fuck. Dario is also… a hot mess. Poor guy. Talk about reckless. He sure did keep me
These two together are the poster children for codependency, but they have some of the hottest sex. Like ever. Like this rivals Fight hotness-wise. Though there was a fair amount of man tears and drama.
But… the sex! Ms. Krylov has a gift. The gift of erotica. There was:
boy/boy sex
boy/girl sex
boy/girl/boy sex
boy/boy/boy sex
kinky sex
monster cocks
bondage
felching
whipping
humiliation
mindfuckery
And Xavi.
I’m diving head first into Bad Things. Seriously, I may leave skid marks. Xavi explodes off the page. Xavi carries around ginormous glass butt plugs in his jacket, I guess, just in case. Xavi is compared to Drago from Game of Thrones divided by Xerxes from 300 AND he’s a sadist!
*quelt*
Did I mention I was leaving skid marks?
The writing style is full o’words. WORDS. WORDS. WORDS. So many words. ALL the words.
Some are pretty, some are… questionable. Please don’t ever use: “aperture”, “fleshy bulb”, or “turgid dome” when describing boy parts in my presence. They all make me grimace and/or cringe.
It bogs down in spots when Aidan goes off on one of his tangents, but there was an authenticity to it that I appreciated. I also loved all the musical references. *coughs*Thom Yorke*coughs*
Generally, I enjoy couplings with a more structured D/s relationship than these two have. Given time they could evolve into that (if they stay together), but at this point they’re exploring kink. Did I mention it was fuckhot?
Not for everyone for sure. It was for me, but I've embraced my inner whackadoodle.
October 23, 2014
Oh my, the cover alone had me HOT and bothered..
I can never go into a book ' blind ' and always read reviews and in this case although there were many positive there were a few that said it was a sex feast with no story.....
I actually thought it was a beautiful love story....
Loved Dario and Aiden thought their story was beautiful
Yes , the SEX was graphic, and the threesome' s where totally hot.........m/f/m and m/m/m....but I actually thought it was a beautiful love story
I just loved Aiden and Dario, thought their sexual chemistry was of the charts hot
If you've enjoyed this , check out Author Kora Knight.
I can never go into a book ' blind ' and always read reviews and in this case although there were many positive there were a few that said it was a sex feast with no story.....
I actually thought it was a beautiful love story....
Loved Dario and Aiden thought their story was beautiful
Yes , the SEX was graphic, and the threesome' s where totally hot.........m/f/m and m/m/m....but I actually thought it was a beautiful love story
I just loved Aiden and Dario, thought their sexual chemistry was of the charts hot
If you've enjoyed this , check out Author Kora Knight.
March 8, 2021
**** 3.75 stars ****
⛔🔞 Proceed with caution. 🔞⛔
Pics under the spoiler tags. Click at your own risk
Addressing the white elephant in the room first: MM/MMM/MFM
That out of the way, my ramblings:
Hands down the hottest book I have read in ages!
Why I skipped book 1 and read 2 only, 7 years ago?
I can't remember.
But I remember loving book 2 which led me to a big expectation here.
I felt that the first half of the story was lacking depth, hot as hell, but superficial.
Then, a game-changer, the moment the author twisted this tale intertwining trauma, kink and erotism bringing out the emotions with it. There were very convincing parts where situations and actions made a lot of sense. Others not so much.
But it was hot.
All the kissing, sucking, tonguing, biting, licking *shivers*
Two things that bothered me:
✅ The "love" endearment
✅ Xavi rough scene with Dario was very questionable.
Nonetheless, it was a very intense and interesting read.🔥😈
⛔🔞 Proceed with caution. 🔞⛔
Pics under the spoiler tags. Click at your own risk
Addressing the white elephant in the room first: MM/MMM/MFM
That out of the way, my ramblings:
Hands down the hottest book I have read in ages!
Why I skipped book 1 and read 2 only, 7 years ago?
I can't remember.
But I remember loving book 2 which led me to a big expectation here.
I felt that the first half of the story was lacking depth, hot as hell, but superficial.
Then, a game-changer, the moment the author twisted this tale intertwining trauma, kink and erotism bringing out the emotions with it. There were very convincing parts where situations and actions made a lot of sense. Others not so much.
But it was hot.
All the kissing, sucking, tonguing, biting, licking *shivers*
Two things that bothered me:
✅ The "love" endearment
✅ Xavi rough scene with Dario was very questionable.
Nonetheless, it was a very intense and interesting read.🔥😈
June 25, 2014
***4 Stars***
This was my first book by Varian Krylov and it certainly won't be my last. I fell in love with her lyrical writing. And the woman sure can write a passionate and captivating erotic scene! HOLY HOTTTTTTNESS!!
This story sucks you in from the very beginning and the pacing of Aidan and Dario's relationship was absolutely perfect. Even though the story is told from Aidan's POV, you still feel Dario's emotions strongly. The two men are so instantly connected, that it makes you wonder what took so long for them to be together.
Aidan was newly accepting his love for a man, and Dario was fighting to overcome a traumatic event in his past. Their vulnerability was endearing and bonded the two men. They were truly able to completely be themselves with each other. Face every fear and share every desire. Fully surrendering to their love.
"Every look he gave me, every smile, the sound of his voice, the way he touched me, every curve of his body, every contour of his skin felt created by some deity of love to draw me to him, to hold me captivated."
However, Dario's past and Aidan's insecurities about his new lifestyle is a dark cloud looming over them. Even though they acknowledged the depth of their love, they both carried the fear that at any moment it could disappear.
"I felt like there was this delicate bubble floating through the air, and if it landed in my hand, I would have real, true happiness. But if I reached for it, tried to take hold of it, I'd burst the bubble, and the chance of that happiness would be ruined forever. That happines felt so, so close, and it felt impossible."
Unfortunately, the plot lost focus along the way. There were times the story drifted more towards Dario's sexual openness and adventurism, which I understand was part of Aidan's evolution, but it felt a bit too forced. More like filler. Or maybe I just can't understand the lifestyle? Sharing is not always caring. Finally, the book ends rather abruptly and I don't feel like I fully got a resolution of Dario's issues and his emotions surrounding his past.
Overall, a captivating read and a new author for me to follow. She definitely piqued my interest with the dark and broody Xavier.
June 3, 2014
DNF @ 42%
*after discussing this book with friends I've decide to add some of my random thoughts*
I do like lots and lots of sex in my books, really HOT sex.....BUT it's got to make sense KWIM? The sex in this book was indeed in abundance (at least as far as I read)and some of the scene's where very hot from a technical stand point.
BUT whatever happened to do to others as you want them to do to you!
Your confused about your sexuality and whether or not your gay / bi whatever and you cause that's just gonna help you figure it all out....
These characters just came off really weird like somethings just off with them and maybe there's suppose to it just wasn't for me...my reading time has been very limited lately and I just couldn't suffer through something I was not enjoying.
*after discussing this book with friends I've decide to add some of my random thoughts*
I do like lots and lots of sex in my books, really HOT sex.....BUT it's got to make sense KWIM? The sex in this book was indeed in abundance (at least as far as I read)and some of the scene's where very hot from a technical stand point.
BUT whatever happened to do to others as you want them to do to you!
Your confused about your sexuality and whether or not your gay / bi whatever and you cause that's just gonna help you figure it all out....
These characters just came off really weird like somethings just off with them and maybe there's suppose to it just wasn't for me...my reading time has been very limited lately and I just couldn't suffer through something I was not enjoying.
February 7, 2021
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a steamy surprise! I would even say that this was reminiscent of the BDSM type books with the damaged character that I read a lot of when I first got into reading (after FSoG 🙈). I do feel like it was more sex than story, but it did tap into my emotions at times too. I have learned that I’m not a huge fan of the single POV and I think that prevented me from really connecting with Dario like I wanted to. The ending also sucked. Why not a jump ahead to see their HEA . Let us see it!!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Aidan and Dario’s story. Aidan has always been intimidated and intrigued by the charismatic Dario that hosts his band’s practice and concerts at his house. One night Aidan goes to practice without the notice that practice had been cancelled, and he reluctantly stays with the man he’s only known from a distance for the past 3 years. They end up blurring lines that night, especially because Aidan has always considered himself straight. There is some heavy baggage they have to work through, a lot of sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Aidan’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until abrupt ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:No, but they both had underlying feelings before this began since they’d known each other for years (Dario - crush and Aidan - curiosity)
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Aidan. I liked him. I appreciated his struggle and how much he cared for Dario.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Dario. He was alright. I think because we never get his POV that I never connected with him as much as I would’ve liked.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I teared up but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- and I’d say that this was a lot of sex scenes and enough to make it what I would consider more erotica (sex first then story) versus erotic romance (story first with sex) for me.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Some jealousy, but not really drama
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends too abruptly with what I would call a HFN ending. Super frustrating!
Safety: This one is probably Not safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Overall Opinion: This was a steamy surprise! I would even say that this was reminiscent of the BDSM type books with the damaged character that I read a lot of when I first got into reading (after FSoG 🙈). I do feel like it was more sex than story, but it did tap into my emotions at times too. I have learned that I’m not a huge fan of the single POV and I think that prevented me from really connecting with Dario like I wanted to. The ending also sucked. Why not a jump ahead to see their HEA . Let us see it!!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Aidan and Dario’s story. Aidan has always been intimidated and intrigued by the charismatic Dario that hosts his band’s practice and concerts at his house. One night Aidan goes to practice without the notice that practice had been cancelled, and he reluctantly stays with the man he’s only known from a distance for the past 3 years. They end up blurring lines that night, especially because Aidan has always considered himself straight. There is some heavy baggage they have to work through, a lot of sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Aidan’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until abrupt ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:No, but they both had underlying feelings before this began since they’d known each other for years (Dario - crush and Aidan - curiosity)
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Aidan. I liked him. I appreciated his struggle and how much he cared for Dario.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Dario. He was alright. I think because we never get his POV that I never connected with him as much as I would’ve liked.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I teared up but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- and I’d say that this was a lot of sex scenes and enough to make it what I would consider more erotica (sex first then story) versus erotic romance (story first with sex) for me.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Some jealousy, but not really drama
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends too abruptly with what I would call a HFN ending. Super frustrating!
Safety: This one is probably Not safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
May 25, 2014
An enjoyable and beautifully written book - exceeded my expectation... The characters perfectly weaved in and out of each other's lives to create harmony and open their eyes to new ways of living and loving
May 29, 2014
Camille said it perfectly:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read up to the 3rd chapter, then started skimming and skipped to the end. It probably is me, but I was bored.
That said: FABULOUS cover!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read up to the 3rd chapter, then started skimming and skipped to the end. It probably is me, but I was bored.
That said: FABULOUS cover!
May 18, 2014
★★★★☆ ~ 4 Stars
7/22/15 ~ Upon rereading, I liked this better this time around. Might be because I also just read Bad Things
and
7/22/15 ~ Upon rereading, I liked this better this time around. Might be because I also just read Bad Things
and May 22, 2014
Solid 5*
Lord help me this was a beautiful story. Varian's narrative voice draws you in from the get-go.
Dario is by far one of the most intriguing characters in Dangerously Happy and I enjoyed that Varian made you work for it to get to know him, shedding him layer by layer until you feel like you are inside his mind, even though the point of view character is the delectably and adorably inexperienced Aidan.
There were definite tender moments that forced you to look into the depths of human nature and there were sexy moments a plenty.
His shyest, happiest smile. “Aidan, love. I want you to live with me. I want us to share our lives with each other.”
“Me too.”
Another night of endless lovemaking.
I also enjoyed the dynamics between the two MCs, where you're never 100% sure which character assumes which role in the relationship (strict btm / top) which is always a refreshing challenge to me who personally like to place characters squarely into boxed labels (far too much).
The mystery element of the story adds to the build up of tension that Varian crafts throughout the story and I enjoyed some of the cringeworthy awkward moments during the MC's coming out scenes. It makes me wonder just how the author is able to relate to the struggles that every guy faced with coming out has to eventually face, since she does it with a great sense of realism.
To top it all off, the ending leaves you satisfied, even though you're not ready to say goodbye to Varian's leading men yet.
Lord help me this was a beautiful story. Varian's narrative voice draws you in from the get-go.
Dario is by far one of the most intriguing characters in Dangerously Happy and I enjoyed that Varian made you work for it to get to know him, shedding him layer by layer until you feel like you are inside his mind, even though the point of view character is the delectably and adorably inexperienced Aidan.
There were definite tender moments that forced you to look into the depths of human nature and there were sexy moments a plenty.
His shyest, happiest smile. “Aidan, love. I want you to live with me. I want us to share our lives with each other.”
“Me too.”
Another night of endless lovemaking.
I also enjoyed the dynamics between the two MCs, where you're never 100% sure which character assumes which role in the relationship (strict btm / top) which is always a refreshing challenge to me who personally like to place characters squarely into boxed labels (far too much).
The mystery element of the story adds to the build up of tension that Varian crafts throughout the story and I enjoyed some of the cringeworthy awkward moments during the MC's coming out scenes. It makes me wonder just how the author is able to relate to the struggles that every guy faced with coming out has to eventually face, since she does it with a great sense of realism.
To top it all off, the ending leaves you satisfied, even though you're not ready to say goodbye to Varian's leading men yet.
May 25, 2014
Oh, Dangerously Happy, how do I rate thee?
5.0 Un-put-downable factor
-2.0
-2.0 Trying to pass it off as
+1.0 Love story
+1.0 Holy Hot Cover *fanning myself*
----
3.0 Stars
Aidan and Dario. At its heart, this book was a love story. An incredibly sweet and super sizzling love story. The love story aspect drew me in and kept me reading, despite ... *gets off soapbox*
Otherwise, this book was quite entertaining. There were a few loose ends. (I hate those!) And, the book ended at 81% on my Kindle. (I REALLY hate that!) But, all in all, I appreciated this book because it pushed my boundaries.
Bottom line: Monogamy lovers, read this at your own risk.
5.0 Un-put-downable factor
-2.0
-2.0 Trying to pass it off as
+1.0 Love story
+1.0 Holy Hot Cover *fanning myself*
----
3.0 Stars
Aidan and Dario. At its heart, this book was a love story. An incredibly sweet and super sizzling love story. The love story aspect drew me in and kept me reading, despite ... *gets off soapbox*
Otherwise, this book was quite entertaining. There were a few loose ends. (I hate those!) And, the book ended at 81% on my Kindle. (I REALLY hate that!) But, all in all, I appreciated this book because it pushed my boundaries.
Bottom line: Monogamy lovers, read this at your own risk.
July 25, 2014
If I were in charge of titles, I would call this book Dangerously Infatuated because that exactly describes Aiden. On the surface, there is a GFY fluffy romance happening between Aiden and Dario. Consider yourself warned when I say this is not vanilla GFY fare. Sure there is MMF, MMM, BDSM and even, gasp, weed smoking! But it’s not the kink that makes this an edgy read. There is a darkness that clouds this relationship and makes it dangerous.
SPOILER WARNING… If you are interested in reading this book, you may want to stop here and come back after you read.
Straight Aiden falls for Dario, embraces the gay, and sparks do fly. So much so that their endearments (anything love, what is it babe?) become cloying after a while. RED FLAG RED FLAG… darkness ahead. It’s not dark because poor Dario has to deal with the emotional trauma of but because poor Aiden is .
Dario maneuvers Aiden from an impulsive hand job to a full on living-together relationship in a matter of weeks. Dario is painfully thoughtful of Aiden, understanding how difficult it might be for a straight guy to be with a man. They seem to take baby steps, and while Dario gives Aiden an out, there is no question that Aiden is already a goner. He falls for Dario hook, line and sinker.
Once Aiden is hooked, Dario’s sugar coated emotional abuse starts to reveal itself. Dario thoughtfully asks if Aiden expects monogamy between them. Aiden is so far gone that the idea of other partners holds no appeal to him, so Dario tacitly agrees to monogamy. Ok fine. Except it isn’t fine because Dario brings in other play partners (even an F especially for Aiden). Aiden feels insecure and can’t say no, and pretty much goes with whatever Dario dishes out for him. Let me be clear, I am not upset about MMF or MMM being part of their relationship, I use this example to illustrate the how Aiden was played by Dario.
Looking over other reviews, I see many that describe this book as a lovely love story, and it does appear to have a happy ending. I could be out in left field on this, but characters like Dario make my hackles rise. I will say that the author did an excellent job writing Aiden’s emotional angst. Written in first person, I felt Aiden’s insecurity and fear when he was unsure of things with Dario, and I felt palpable relief when he was reassured by Dario. I honestly don’t know if my reading of Dario as the manipulative seducer was the author’s intent. If it was, I would suggest that she write “Sleeping with the Enemy” like sequel.
SPOILER WARNING… If you are interested in reading this book, you may want to stop here and come back after you read.
Straight Aiden falls for Dario, embraces the gay, and sparks do fly. So much so that their endearments (anything love, what is it babe?) become cloying after a while. RED FLAG RED FLAG… darkness ahead. It’s not dark because poor Dario has to deal with the emotional trauma of but because poor Aiden is .
Dario maneuvers Aiden from an impulsive hand job to a full on living-together relationship in a matter of weeks. Dario is painfully thoughtful of Aiden, understanding how difficult it might be for a straight guy to be with a man. They seem to take baby steps, and while Dario gives Aiden an out, there is no question that Aiden is already a goner. He falls for Dario hook, line and sinker.
Once Aiden is hooked, Dario’s sugar coated emotional abuse starts to reveal itself. Dario thoughtfully asks if Aiden expects monogamy between them. Aiden is so far gone that the idea of other partners holds no appeal to him, so Dario tacitly agrees to monogamy. Ok fine. Except it isn’t fine because Dario brings in other play partners (even an F especially for Aiden). Aiden feels insecure and can’t say no, and pretty much goes with whatever Dario dishes out for him. Let me be clear, I am not upset about MMF or MMM being part of their relationship, I use this example to illustrate the how Aiden was played by Dario.
Looking over other reviews, I see many that describe this book as a lovely love story, and it does appear to have a happy ending. I could be out in left field on this, but characters like Dario make my hackles rise. I will say that the author did an excellent job writing Aiden’s emotional angst. Written in first person, I felt Aiden’s insecurity and fear when he was unsure of things with Dario, and I felt palpable relief when he was reassured by Dario. I honestly don’t know if my reading of Dario as the manipulative seducer was the author’s intent. If it was, I would suggest that she write “Sleeping with the Enemy” like sequel.
December 8, 2015
I feel really ambiguous about this book in many ways. I think I loved and hated it at the same time.
What I really enjoyed:
- the story drew me in right away. I had to read this in one sitting.
- Dario and Aiden are great characters. I liked them both, particularly as they're both creative and not the muscle-packed heroes of other m/m romance. At the beginning Dario seems so much more mature than Aiden who continually doubts himself. Of course we find out later Dario is not as self assured as we think. Both characters are flawed and utterly lovable for it.
- the development of their relationship is delicious and interesting, and rolled out slowly over the whole book
- the notion you can love a person just for the person's sake, no matter what gender
- it is smoking hot and soooo intense
What made me uneasy:
- I realized that their menage a trois settings made me uncomfortable. I expected it, and having read settings like it before I thought I wouldn't mind, For some reason I felt for Aiden being pushed into it. Yes, he enjoyed it, but in my heart I wanted him to tell Dario it was all too much. I had way less problems with the BDSM.
- I felt that at times Aiden was more or less 'bullied' into doing things he wasn't quite ready for.Even if Dario asked him beforehand and offered his support.
- Violent sex therapy feels wrong to me. I found the scene when Xavi ' treated' 'Dario really painful and very hard to take.
- the overlong sentences drove me mental at times. I had to reread quite a few times.
On the whole the book took me out of my comfort zone in many ways, but I still enjoyed it. Maybe I feel a bit like Aiden at the beginning of his journey. The fact I'm still thinking about it, proves it made an impact. I was dithering between 3 and 4 starts, but I went for 4 stars in the end because of that.
What I really enjoyed:
- the story drew me in right away. I had to read this in one sitting.
- Dario and Aiden are great characters. I liked them both, particularly as they're both creative and not the muscle-packed heroes of other m/m romance. At the beginning Dario seems so much more mature than Aiden who continually doubts himself. Of course we find out later Dario is not as self assured as we think. Both characters are flawed and utterly lovable for it.
- the development of their relationship is delicious and interesting, and rolled out slowly over the whole book
- the notion you can love a person just for the person's sake, no matter what gender
- it is smoking hot and soooo intense
What made me uneasy:
- I realized that their menage a trois settings made me uncomfortable. I expected it, and having read settings like it before I thought I wouldn't mind, For some reason I felt for Aiden being pushed into it. Yes, he enjoyed it, but in my heart I wanted him to tell Dario it was all too much. I had way less problems with the BDSM.
- I felt that at times Aiden was more or less 'bullied' into doing things he wasn't quite ready for.Even if Dario asked him beforehand and offered his support.
- Violent sex therapy feels wrong to me. I found the scene when Xavi ' treated' 'Dario really painful and very hard to take.
- the overlong sentences drove me mental at times. I had to reread quite a few times.
On the whole the book took me out of my comfort zone in many ways, but I still enjoyed it. Maybe I feel a bit like Aiden at the beginning of his journey. The fact I'm still thinking about it, proves it made an impact. I was dithering between 3 and 4 starts, but I went for 4 stars in the end because of that.
May 23, 2014
OK, I'm back!
3.5 stars.
I needed time to think about how to rate and review this one!
You know how sometimes you read a book and it's shifting, while reading, between 4 to 5 stars, or between 3 to 4, or sometimes even from 3 to 5...???
This book was difficult because it started with big 5 stars written all over it, but then it went to 2! BUT... It was back to 5. So, I did what I think is best in cases like that, took the time to see what I feel in retrospect, and I must say: I LOVED IT!
I think that this is a case where reading others reviews before reading the book was the thing that spoiled it a bit for me.
I knew that something I hate was going to happen, and it made me dread it from the beginning, and when it came to it, it was not so bad at all! (Do you know what I'm talking about?).
I loved the writing and the characters, their feelings and thoughts was very well transformed to the pages.
Their love was very real and so where their fears.
And again, I know we are not here to review graphic design or even cover taste, but GOD, that cover!!!
3.5 stars.
I needed time to think about how to rate and review this one!
You know how sometimes you read a book and it's shifting, while reading, between 4 to 5 stars, or between 3 to 4, or sometimes even from 3 to 5...???
This book was difficult because it started with big 5 stars written all over it, but then it went to 2! BUT... It was back to 5. So, I did what I think is best in cases like that, took the time to see what I feel in retrospect, and I must say: I LOVED IT!
I think that this is a case where reading others reviews before reading the book was the thing that spoiled it a bit for me.
I knew that something I hate was going to happen, and it made me dread it from the beginning, and when it came to it, it was not so bad at all! (Do you know what I'm talking about?).
I loved the writing and the characters, their feelings and thoughts was very well transformed to the pages.
Their love was very real and so where their fears.
And again, I know we are not here to review graphic design or even cover taste, but GOD, that cover!!!
February 13, 2022
3.5
Sad to say that this was just an ‘okay’ read for me. 😞
Parts of this bored me to tears — I love poignant writing, but it was really hard for me to get through some of the long, looong paragraphs filled with purple prose and almost no dialogue. There was way more telling vs. showing, too, which is one of the things I absolutely hate in my books, because am I reading a novel, or a summary of one??
Both Aidan and Dario felt flat and two-dimensional sometimes, and I wanted (needed!) more character development. Not sure if it’s a ‘me’ issue, or a general problem of this book/writer. Now, Xavier really peaked my interest with his brief appearances, and not only because of the hot as hell sex scenes (well, with one notable exception). I’ll definitely read his book.
My other issue: I didn't like the way Dario kept throwing women at Aidan here. I’m usually okay with poly relationships, or even random threesomes when they happen ‘naturally,’ so to speak, but here I got the feeling Dario was treating the women like objects to make Aidan happy — when in both cases, it was Dario’s own idea, and Aidan was kind of ambushed…
Also, not sure how I liked the concept of Dario ‘treating’ his depression with BDSM practices, the way he described his first serious relationship after THAT EVENT was very disturbing to me, not to mention his last session with Xavier…
As it turns out, most of my issues were with Dario. 🙈 Here’s hoping the next book will be better!
Sad to say that this was just an ‘okay’ read for me. 😞
Parts of this bored me to tears — I love poignant writing, but it was really hard for me to get through some of the long, looong paragraphs filled with purple prose and almost no dialogue. There was way more telling vs. showing, too, which is one of the things I absolutely hate in my books, because am I reading a novel, or a summary of one??
Both Aidan and Dario felt flat and two-dimensional sometimes, and I wanted (needed!) more character development. Not sure if it’s a ‘me’ issue, or a general problem of this book/writer. Now, Xavier really peaked my interest with his brief appearances, and not only because of the hot as hell sex scenes (well, with one notable exception). I’ll definitely read his book.
My other issue: I didn't like the way Dario kept throwing women at Aidan here. I’m usually okay with poly relationships, or even random threesomes when they happen ‘naturally,’ so to speak, but here I got the feeling Dario was treating the women like objects to make Aidan happy — when in both cases, it was Dario’s own idea, and Aidan was kind of ambushed…
Also, not sure how I liked the concept of Dario ‘treating’ his depression with BDSM practices, the way he described his first serious relationship after THAT EVENT was very disturbing to me, not to mention his last session with Xavier…
As it turns out, most of my issues were with Dario. 🙈 Here’s hoping the next book will be better!
May 24, 2014
It's such a rarity to find beautiful covers in m/m romances and this cover is so gorgeous.....so a big thumbs up for that!
Unfortunately for me I went into this book completely blind. I wanted to read it based on the pretty cover and due to the author. I've read and enjoyed one of her books before. I had no idea that this book features menage. I HATE open relationships in romance books. It's funny that I have no problem reading about cheating in romance books but I have a big problem with reading about a couple who openly agree to invite others into their bed lol. So with that said, I liked the beginning of the book. It's a GFY story with a straight musician(Aiden) falling for a sexy writer(Dario). I enjoyed reading how they finally get together but once a third party is introduced into their relationship my enjoyment of the book went way down. I just couldn't buy into their love story while they were shagging others. Plus I really disliked the character of Xavier. I also thought the ending was a bit abrupt. Maybe because I wasn't expecting the book to end at 81% lol.
I think if you have no issues with open relationships in your romances this might be worth reading.
June 7, 2014
This is not your normal gay love story. That being said, I think it is definitely geared more toward the female reader. It is a sometimes poignant, sometimes soft, sometimes even brutal, coming together of love between a bi man and a gay man. Both with artistic minds but very different personalities. One so wounded, you wonder if he will actually survive. One scrapping to make it all work out, to be that perfect love that we all seek.
I'm not sure if there are warnings for the readers of this book but there are some past non-con remembering scenes and some that could be considered non-consensual. There are some psychological healing scenes (yes, I believe they exist) so, if you are not a fan of those types of scenes, you might want to pass this by rather than give this excellent author the kudos she deserves. Highly recommended for the fairly dark reader. I'd call it gray, but some would call it dark.
I'm not sure if there are warnings for the readers of this book but there are some past non-con remembering scenes and some that could be considered non-consensual. There are some psychological healing scenes (yes, I believe they exist) so, if you are not a fan of those types of scenes, you might want to pass this by rather than give this excellent author the kudos she deserves. Highly recommended for the fairly dark reader. I'd call it gray, but some would call it dark.
May 25, 2014
I liked it, with some reservations. The sex is beautifully written. Aidan and Dario's first scene together felt particularly realistic to me. There's a little awkwardness, and the characters actually talk to each other about what to do and how to do it. So refreshing.
Unfortunately, I think this book sacrifices plot for sexual variety. As hot as the sex was (and trust me, it was crazy hot), I wanted more of a framework for Aidan and Dario's relationship. I like stories about open relationships, but it has to feel organic. Here, it seemed like something that Dario pushed for and Aidan acquiesced to. A more robust story might have made it more believable.
A couple of personal pet peeves:
Unfortunately, I think this book sacrifices plot for sexual variety. As hot as the sex was (and trust me, it was crazy hot), I wanted more of a framework for Aidan and Dario's relationship. I like stories about open relationships, but it has to feel organic. Here, it seemed like something that Dario pushed for and Aidan acquiesced to. A more robust story might have made it more believable.
A couple of personal pet peeves:
June 4, 2014
The cover is beautiful--the story not so much--I'm so very glad to see a new book by Varian Krylov--she is a talented author and I've missed reading her--this story might have worked better as a novella--the characters never clicked for me--the constant fuck-fest was all there was--no story line
I will buy Ms.Krylov again as she has written two of my favorite books--this one just didn't work for me
I will buy Ms.Krylov again as she has written two of my favorite books--this one just didn't work for me
July 6, 2017
Mehh. The story was not much at all if you take away all the sex they are having in their various forms and combinations.
I felt Dario was always pushing Aidan for more and that him would do anything to please Dari, which made me uncomfortable. I didn't buy the healing powers of kinky sex either.
It was just a porny story for me.
I felt Dario was always pushing Aidan for more and that him would do anything to please Dari, which made me uncomfortable. I didn't buy the healing powers of kinky sex either.
It was just a porny story for me.
July 13, 2014
Voilà sans doute la romance MM la plus érotique, la plus intense, la plus intensément érotique que j'ai jamais lu ! Le tout sans la moindre once de vulgarité ou de trash, mais à réserver néanmoins aux lecteurs/lectrices averti(e)s.
Aidan mène une petite vie tranquille, entre un boulot alimentaire qui l'ennuie mais le rassure, une passion pour le chant et la composition qu'il galvaude dans un groupe sans envergure qui ne le mérite pas, et quelques filles de ci de là pour remplacer une ex petite amie qui ne lui manque pas tant que cela. Et comme de très nombreuses personnes, il gravite tel un satellite autour du beau et charismatique Dario, qui prête son loft aux répétitions et exhibitions du groupe. Ce jeune homme exceptionnel fascine Aidan, qui l'envie et y voit un modèle, mais Dario ne semble pas le remarquer. Jusqu'au soir ou, par hasard, les deux hommes se retrouvent seuls, et ou Dario tente un geste... un geste, une caresse, et tout bascule. Aidan et Dario vont devenir amants, s'aimer, se disputer, se découvrir, se livrer peu à peu... Dario se révèle bien plus complexe qu'il n'y paraissait, observateur, sexy, dominateur, sûr de lui, joueur ... et pourtant fragile aussi, avec les cicatrices d'un passé douloureux qui parfois le hante et le rend colérique, apeuré, perdu... Aidan le suit sur le chemin qu'il leur trace, un chemin aussi effrayant que séduisant. Il est incertain, curieux, parfois perdu, craintif, mais il fait une confiance absolue, totale à son amant, et c'est avec énormément d'amour, de générosité, qu'il se plie à toutes les demandes, tous les désirs de Dario, se prête à toutes les découvertes sensuelles, se livre à tous les jeux de l'amour. Des jouets aux plans à trois, de la soumission au bondage... mais parfois il n'y a pas de jeu, parfois il y a un besoin terrible, dévorant, de Dario d'exorciser ses démons, sa peur, sa culpabilité, et il faudra encore plus d'amour et d'imagination à Aidan pour être assez fort pour deux.
Nous suivons avec Aidan le narrateur cette incroyable route où se forge leur couple. Aussi incertains et fascinés que lui. Les scènes sont extrêmement érotiques, graphiques, mais aussi d'une incroyable intensité, que le style narratif de l'auteur, phrases longues, scandées, imagées, ne fait que renforcer. C'est comme si l'on était en permanence en plans serrés, cadrages étroits, zoom avant, caméra braquée sur ces deux hommes, leurs regards, leurs échanges, une main qui serre un drap, un ventre qui se crispe, une nuque qui se renverse... l'auteur ne vous lâche pas, ne vous laisse pas respirer. Certaines scènes peuvent ne pas plaire (je confirme que pour moi, dans MMF, le F est définitivement de trop!) mais le sexe n'est pas ici gratuit, ni voyeur, il est tendresse, libertinage, colère, désir, peur, et parfois catharsis. Alors oui c'est un roman érotique, mais avant tout, un incroyable voyage émotionnel et amoureux, qui ne vous laisse pas indemne.
Aidan mène une petite vie tranquille, entre un boulot alimentaire qui l'ennuie mais le rassure, une passion pour le chant et la composition qu'il galvaude dans un groupe sans envergure qui ne le mérite pas, et quelques filles de ci de là pour remplacer une ex petite amie qui ne lui manque pas tant que cela. Et comme de très nombreuses personnes, il gravite tel un satellite autour du beau et charismatique Dario, qui prête son loft aux répétitions et exhibitions du groupe. Ce jeune homme exceptionnel fascine Aidan, qui l'envie et y voit un modèle, mais Dario ne semble pas le remarquer. Jusqu'au soir ou, par hasard, les deux hommes se retrouvent seuls, et ou Dario tente un geste... un geste, une caresse, et tout bascule. Aidan et Dario vont devenir amants, s'aimer, se disputer, se découvrir, se livrer peu à peu... Dario se révèle bien plus complexe qu'il n'y paraissait, observateur, sexy, dominateur, sûr de lui, joueur ... et pourtant fragile aussi, avec les cicatrices d'un passé douloureux qui parfois le hante et le rend colérique, apeuré, perdu... Aidan le suit sur le chemin qu'il leur trace, un chemin aussi effrayant que séduisant. Il est incertain, curieux, parfois perdu, craintif, mais il fait une confiance absolue, totale à son amant, et c'est avec énormément d'amour, de générosité, qu'il se plie à toutes les demandes, tous les désirs de Dario, se prête à toutes les découvertes sensuelles, se livre à tous les jeux de l'amour. Des jouets aux plans à trois, de la soumission au bondage... mais parfois il n'y a pas de jeu, parfois il y a un besoin terrible, dévorant, de Dario d'exorciser ses démons, sa peur, sa culpabilité, et il faudra encore plus d'amour et d'imagination à Aidan pour être assez fort pour deux.
Nous suivons avec Aidan le narrateur cette incroyable route où se forge leur couple. Aussi incertains et fascinés que lui. Les scènes sont extrêmement érotiques, graphiques, mais aussi d'une incroyable intensité, que le style narratif de l'auteur, phrases longues, scandées, imagées, ne fait que renforcer. C'est comme si l'on était en permanence en plans serrés, cadrages étroits, zoom avant, caméra braquée sur ces deux hommes, leurs regards, leurs échanges, une main qui serre un drap, un ventre qui se crispe, une nuque qui se renverse... l'auteur ne vous lâche pas, ne vous laisse pas respirer. Certaines scènes peuvent ne pas plaire (je confirme que pour moi, dans MMF, le F est définitivement de trop!) mais le sexe n'est pas ici gratuit, ni voyeur, il est tendresse, libertinage, colère, désir, peur, et parfois catharsis. Alors oui c'est un roman érotique, mais avant tout, un incroyable voyage émotionnel et amoureux, qui ne vous laisse pas indemne.
May 22, 2014
Dark needs are made of this....
This is one astounding romance, full of eroticism, deep and many times dark emotions, where the feelings are depicted in achingly and excruciatingly heartfelt detail. It starts easily enough with a little tryst between a straight man, Aidan and Dario, a gay writer and the owner of a commune art space when people gather during the weekends to showcase their art and listen to underground bands. Aidan is the lead singer of one of these bands but at the same time holds a regular corporate job. After a bumpy start, when they split for a couple of months after A does something quite stupid, they settle in a fledging, budding relationship. Aidan feels like waking up, at last, after a life conforming to others' expectations, and they begin to explore what they have. But nothing is so easy. They must deal with serious trouble in the communal place and worst, it brings back an episode from Dario's dark and traumatic past. I will not reveal more of the plot, but let me tell you, the writing is so very intense. The story delves into the intricate, many sided aspects of BDSM, it's psychological and emotional needs and reasons.
As I said, at the beginning seems to be another GFY romantic sexy story but soon enough develops in ways not so your regular romance that can be uncomfortable for some readers of the m/m genre. To make myself clear: if you are looking for a cupcake, overly sweet and full of fluffy frosting, this is not. This is the "seven sins chocolate cake", sophisticated, decadent, dark and a bit sweet as well. Eaten with the best of champagne.
There are kinks galore, an MFM threesome, another MMM, just to mention something. The book, for moments, can be quite overwhelming as Dario & Aidan explore their love. their psyches, their sexual life. There was a moment in the interaction between the 2 MC and a third part that I actually felt Aidan's anxiety, my hands were trembling, my heart was hammering, I truly felt with him.
This is a book that at times, will make you consider the need to refresh your knickers and at other times, reach for a Xanax... or ten. It's an absolutely fascinating story, wholly recommended and worth it. Usually, I avoid to read books that have threesomes and /or kinky plays, I find them unbelievable or just silly porn smut. But I never felt I was given porn while reading Dangerously happy, not at all.
Finally, a recommendation: Don't read it while in public transportation or in company... unless it's a very very naughty company :-)
Ah! and what a beautiful cover!
This is one astounding romance, full of eroticism, deep and many times dark emotions, where the feelings are depicted in achingly and excruciatingly heartfelt detail. It starts easily enough with a little tryst between a straight man, Aidan and Dario, a gay writer and the owner of a commune art space when people gather during the weekends to showcase their art and listen to underground bands. Aidan is the lead singer of one of these bands but at the same time holds a regular corporate job. After a bumpy start, when they split for a couple of months after A does something quite stupid, they settle in a fledging, budding relationship. Aidan feels like waking up, at last, after a life conforming to others' expectations, and they begin to explore what they have. But nothing is so easy. They must deal with serious trouble in the communal place and worst, it brings back an episode from Dario's dark and traumatic past. I will not reveal more of the plot, but let me tell you, the writing is so very intense. The story delves into the intricate, many sided aspects of BDSM, it's psychological and emotional needs and reasons.
As I said, at the beginning seems to be another GFY romantic sexy story but soon enough develops in ways not so your regular romance that can be uncomfortable for some readers of the m/m genre. To make myself clear: if you are looking for a cupcake, overly sweet and full of fluffy frosting, this is not. This is the "seven sins chocolate cake", sophisticated, decadent, dark and a bit sweet as well. Eaten with the best of champagne.
There are kinks galore, an MFM threesome, another MMM, just to mention something. The book, for moments, can be quite overwhelming as Dario & Aidan explore their love. their psyches, their sexual life. There was a moment in the interaction between the 2 MC and a third part that I actually felt Aidan's anxiety, my hands were trembling, my heart was hammering, I truly felt with him.
This is a book that at times, will make you consider the need to refresh your knickers and at other times, reach for a Xanax... or ten. It's an absolutely fascinating story, wholly recommended and worth it. Usually, I avoid to read books that have threesomes and /or kinky plays, I find them unbelievable or just silly porn smut. But I never felt I was given porn while reading Dangerously happy, not at all.
Finally, a recommendation: Don't read it while in public transportation or in company... unless it's a very very naughty company :-)
Ah! and what a beautiful cover!
October 30, 2014
Okay, so I have given this book 3 stars because I really did love reading about Dario and Aiden's relationship. I fell in love with them in
and I still absolutely adore them after finishing their story... However I won't lie, I did get kind of bored of all the sex...
In Bad Things there was a lot of sex but there was also a fantastic storyline running alongside that. In this book there wasn't really anything bar Dario's past, which even though I enjoyed reading, it just wasn't enough. Then it felt like there was just a chunk of drama thrown in near the end for effect.
Also, threesome's sometimes just really aren't my thing. I didn't want to keep seeing other people get involved in their relationship. Even though Xavier really did help Dario, I just felt like at times Dario was using other people to try and patch over the problems between he and Aiden. It just made me feel really uncomfortable.
Anyway; overall I loved reading this book but there were just too many things I wasn't happy with to rate it any higher.
and I still absolutely adore them after finishing their story... However I won't lie, I did get kind of bored of all the sex...In Bad Things there was a lot of sex but there was also a fantastic storyline running alongside that. In this book there wasn't really anything bar Dario's past, which even though I enjoyed reading, it just wasn't enough. Then it felt like there was just a chunk of drama thrown in near the end for effect.
Also, threesome's sometimes just really aren't my thing. I didn't want to keep seeing other people get involved in their relationship. Even though Xavier really did help Dario, I just felt like at times Dario was using other people to try and patch over the problems between he and Aiden. It just made me feel really uncomfortable.
Anyway; overall I loved reading this book but there were just too many things I wasn't happy with to rate it any higher.
May 22, 2014
That was.... brilliant!
Dangerously Happy is about Aidan, a talented musician with a boring day-job, and sexy Dario, an author who hosts parties and musical gigs at his large loft apartment. One day one thing leads to another and the two men discover that there is more between them than sexual attraction.
The book is sexy, arousing, provocative, steamy, sensual, and hot! It’s filled with passion and one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read. It contains some of the most amazing sex scenes. The blurb seriously does not do it justice.
One on the side characters really intrigued me. I loved the powerful and dominant alpha male and I really hope the author will create a book on Xavier in the near future.
The writing is excellent and kept me captivated, wrapped up in the pictures it creates. This is so much more than just a love story, so much more than just sex and so much more than just another M/M romance. Highly recommended!
May 22, 2014
I did enjoy this book, just not as much as I thought I would. After reading the awesome Bad Things and loving Aidan and Dario in that book I automatically assumed this one would be just as great. I love a good sex scene as much as the next person but the constant talking and over analyzing of every minute details got a bit difficult to take after the first few times. That said, if there was another book with Xavier making an appearance I would definitely read it!
October 14, 2014
This book is not for everyone..many sex scenes sweet sexy and hot :D
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