Every year the MM group on Goodreads does a free read event, Bonded is my submission for 2014 Love's Landscape Event. At the beginning of the event, a story letter is submitted from a reader, asking for a very specific story. This is the letter from Tonnya.
STORY LETTER: Dear Author,
My soul ached for command and love, and I was lost. Until I met them. We’d seen each other at different times but it wasn’t until the night I almost killed myself trying to lift more weight than I should that our worlds finally collided. What started out as lifting partners and movie marathons turned into weekend jaunts across the city and every free moment spent together, a tension building up between us that left me holding my breathe. I’ll never forget the night He took control and shattered our worlds, morphing our growing friendship into something more. I used to tell myself I would walk this earth lost and broken forever, but I know now my soul was waiting for Sir and Pup to save me.
This story is almost all telling, with the move to a menage relationship happening too quickly.
Chris goes from vanilla to sub in the blink of an eye and moves in with an established couple immediately after meeting them.
Many people have nasty parents and break up with their partners without going off the deep end.
I also thought the BDSM wasn't well done; it felt more like domestic discipline, and even that was shaky. There were no safe words, no scenes, and no apparent structure.
Some of the sex scenes were hot, but the story felt artificial. The motivations and feelings just weren't believable.
I like a ménage story. I know they aren't everyone's cuppa, but I'm of the opinion that there is no such thing as too many cocks. I think Ms. York portrayed the intricate dynamics of a triad relationship, especially a burgeoning triad relationship, well.
Liam is frisky and uninhibited. He tempts Chris every chance he gets. Chris is instantly attracted to Liam as well as Greg, though in different ways. Greg is authoritative and speaks to a part of Chris that he doesn't understand. Chris is also fresh off a break up via post it after a three year relationship.
So wrong we need a new word for wrong.
Where Bonded went off the rails for me was the kink. The kink is… odd. Parts of it seemed like it was going in a domestic discipline direction and other parts seemed like it was leaning towards a TPE relationship. I couldn't make heads or tails out of it. Liam and Greg are already established, but when they fold Chris in there was no negotiation, no discussion of limits or rules Greg just took over and started issuing orders. My other quibble is with Liam. Liam has issues which need to be addressed by a professional. I'm not saying that the structure of a DD or TPE relationship couldn't be beneficial, but not in and of itself. It leaves me cold when BDSM and its curative effects are overestimated.
Ms. York did a good job sticking to the prompt and my thanks to her for participating.
That prompt picture is the stuff of legends. LEGENDS, I tell you. *golf claps to whomever submitted that photo to the LL event*
I also loved the prompt that York chose; it's not often that I read books or stories about established relationships, and even more rare that we get to see a glimpse into how that relationship might change with the introduction of a third person. Will it bend? Will it break? Will it become something entirely new and different? I just don't knoooooow (and that's part of the allure)!
Overall I thought the story was solid. It was well written and well edited, the characters were men that I definitely wanted to get to know better, their dynamics were interesting, and the sex was pretty dang hot. I appreciate a story that can make me feel in my heart AND a little further south of the equator as well (if you know what I'm sayin' *wink, wink*) and this did both of those things.
But there was a LOT going on there for such a short story and that caused things to feel a little muddled towards the middle and end. (Chris has both Dom and Sub tendencies?! Whaaaat?! I don't think I've ever encountered that before.) I finished the story completely unsure what this menage relationship would look like in six weeks, in six months, in six years. I guess that may have been the author's aim given her HFN ending. However, I would have liked a little more clarity if not closure.
As always, my thanks to the author for participating in the Love's Landscapes event and for all of the behind-the-scenes work that editors, beta readers, and the MM Group Mods put into making this FREE event a massive success!
Ahhh Chris breaks up with his long-time boyfriend Philip, made me sad poor Chris. He is kind of lost for a while not sure what to do or why they broke up. But if he looks deep down he sees he wasn’t really happy in that relationship.
Chris goes to the gym a lot to feel something other than sadness and he meets Greg and Liam.
I enjoyed Liam and Greg’s dynamic. And it was Liam who gets the ball rolling so to speak.
Liam’s character intrigued me and I liked the way Chris and Liam were different from Greg and Liam but how they all work. It kinda sorta perfect!
I am not a huge fan of the narration it was good just wasn’t what I was expecting from the cover. I kind of felt like James Talbot has an older voice and I thought of these men as younger.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
If you haven't seen the picture that prompted this story--you're missing something special.
This is a roller coaster ride from freaking sad to sexy to scary to sizzling to hugs to WOOF! An emotional menage with some BDSM elements including light D/s and paddling. Mental health issues isn't my favorite premise for a D/s relationship and while it does provide an emotional punch it pigeon holes those participating--so, that aside I really only had one quibble.
So, I liked the emotion between the three. I liked each had their own issues and their viewpoints were expressed. I loved how Greg got Liam back under control and Chris was formally introduced into their lives.
Despite the fact that Chris wasn't totally happy or satisfied with his relationship with Philip it's still a blow when Philip breaks it off, especially considering that after three years Philip leaves a note for Chris to find when he returns from his business trip. Chris struggles to cope, not eating properly and spending way too much time at the gym, exhaustion is the only way he can get any sleep. It's at the gym where he meets first Greg and then Liam could Chris find what he's looking for with these two, could he fill the gap and find what he's been missing. This book isn't without its faults, I can't mention some without spoiling it but the main one for me was that it was just too short to deal with the issues raised but I liked the guys and I liked the story I just wanted more.
Usually I don't like MMM book but some stories are written so well that I can't help myself and this story was one of them.Each MC complimented the other,not even once I got the feeling one of them is just third wheel as the book was written so perfectly.It was a neat compact hurt comfort story and the author did a wonderful job. Wouldn't mind reading more about them and their lives now that they are staying all together.
This was a really good story and really sad at times. Chris Edwards was really heartbroken his live in lover left him Phillip didn't even tell him to his face he broke up with him in a note. I wasn't sure if I would like this book as much as I did I thought that because it was a short quick read I didn't think it would be so emotional. Although I must say this cover was hot. Greg sees Chris and can tell that he is overexerting himself and losing weight and offers to help him. Chris meets Liam and finds out that Liam and Greg are in a relationship and are willing to Chris to help him through his troubles. This was a hot mmm ménage with Greg and Liam being in a master/slave relationship. I really felt bad for Liam we as people let are past shape are future and sometimes parents don't realize how much damage they do to their children. The author of this book got it right with the emotions of each of the MC's this book was well written and I wished that it was more the sex scenes were hot. I am looking forward to reading more of this authors work.
I really enjoyed this! And I agree with the others who say they want more…I'd love to see where the three of them are a year from now. Thank you for a great story!
There isn't even really a story here. I mean, there's no resolution other than Chris agreeing to live with Liam and Greg for a year. All in all, pretty empty and pointless.
I'm famous for reading some ménage stories even though I don't like them, but I have to say that Sara York did this story up beautifully. I truly loved it. The connection between them individually and as a group was just amazingly sexy. The angst was heartbreaking but at the same time it was the backbone of the story. I recommend this book to all who love ménage and even those who don't, it's definitely worth the read.
While I did enjoy parts of this, I felt it suffered from being too short. The author was careful to not make it insta love but the level of trust and commitment was rushed. I felt they didn't really know each other well enough...
It's not terrible, and the beginning is very good, when they're still all there own people, but besides the insta-love (which isn't VERBAL insta-love but MC is commanded to move in like, right after they all get physical for the first time and he, someone whose never jumped into the dom/sub life style, just dives right in to total immersion basically) ANYWAY My problems are:
-PROBLEM ONE: There is cheating. I know, I know, they all become a triad. But let's put it this way. If Guy 2 and 3 were in a relationship, and Guy 1 took Guy 2's word for it that Guy 3, who hadn't agreed, consented, and had no knowledge of them fucking, would be okay with it and does it, does that sound like consent between all partners to you? Taking only one guy's in the relationship's word for it (and he could be lying) that it's okay to fuck him when his long term partner has no idea and is not present? Even if Guy 2 and 3 talked about this between them, Guy 3 was not there to verbalize that it WAS IN FACT okay. Guy 1 is taking only one half of the couples word for it-and in fact when Guy 3 comes in, Guy 1 is ready to dash across the room like a scared bunny-HMMMM that sounds like the reaction of someone who doesn't know for sure if somethings on the up and up. In THIS situation, Guy 3 ends up fucking Guy 1 who is fucking Guy 2. He only has one brief moment of "oh hell no" as he watches from the door way but then is like "but actually...." and joins in. But if you take out how that turned out, and you cut it down to the facts: Guy 3 did not consent to his partner having sex with another man, or at least not to that man's face so HE has no idea if Guy 2 is telling the truth or not AND he just about runs out of the room when found by Guy 3 because he KNOWS its not all on the up and up......WOW. SOUNDS A LOT LIKE CHEATING, with a smash of "lucky in THIS situation it worked out."
Problem 2: Although Liam and Greg are long term partners, they never fuck each other. It's Guy 1 who gets fucked by both (but mostly Greg) and Liam even gets fucked by Guy 1, but we never see Liam and Greg go at it.
It's enjoyable at first but as soon as she tries to speed mash them all together, it just doesn't work. It loses something.
Wow A hot and gorgeous story where 3 people needed each other. Greg was the carer of them, Liam is the fragile one with worthless thoughts that led to self-harming (cutting). Chris's break-up had left him loosing to much weight and being careless in his actions. A good story but it has alot of narrative at the start for the characters. Chris had just broken up with his boyfriend Phillip of 3 years by a note left after hed been away.. going to the gym to spent his frustration energy out. He met Greg and then he meets Liam both sexy as sin.
I always know that when I read a Sara York book I'll get a fun story and a lot of great heat. I loved how Chris didn't realize his need to submit, but he naturally gravitated to Greg and Liam and craved what they had with each other even when it was apparent that they didn't have a vanilla relationship.
I definitely will be reading the others in this series.
This is a short story that shows you can get what you need and don’t have to settle with anything less than you want. It has a lovely tone to it and the narration is excellent.
Wow the gems you find in the middle of the night when you have insomnia. I must admit I took one look and the cover and I was sold, This book is currently free on Amazon, and It was not what I was expecting, of course you can’t expect much when you go by cover alone and not read the blurb, but seriously look at that cover.
So anyway I was drawn into a short but not so sweet ménage involving 3 men, usually I like at least one female in my Ménage because you can’t put your self in their place if they are all men, but hell why not, again that cover. So I did end up enjoying this little gem, of course I have read other reviews about how it is not real bdsm, and it was a bit wishy washy and unbelievable, but really who reads books for them to be believable? as long as I am drawn into some sort of reality that grips me and keeps me away from my reality for a while, I am not fussed.
I liked how all three men involved are completely different personalities it was interesting to see how they would handle becoming a threesome and if they would last Liam is a little hyperactive ball of fun, that needs to be restrained and controlled by Greg apparently for his own good. Greg is the Dom of the group who takes charge and controls the other men, which is weird because our main character Chris also comes off as a bit of a Dom, but gives himself over to Greg and Liam.
All up I would give this book a solid 3 stars, entertaining and light and for me a little different, I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting which was good because I was able to sleep (and dream, wink wink) afterwards.
NOTE: This is a Free story written for 2014 Love's Landscape Event. The author chooses a letter (see Above) and writes a story.
At some time in our lives we have all suffered heartbreak. We have also realised that though this person left us aching it is for the best. That perhaps something was actually missing, but we were content to avoid that part of us we keep hidden so tightly. The heartache can be a release. This is what happened to Chris. He came home from a business trip to find a letter from his lover that he had left. He wasn’t able to eat and threw himself further into his workouts.
Greg sees Chris and can tell he is dangerously overexerting himself and losing weight. He offers his help. One day Greg meets Liam and finds out that Liam and Greg are in a relationship but willing to take Chris on and help him through his troubles.
This was a very intriguing, emotional yet extremely sexy story. Sara has a way of writing stories of broken men with such a flare, that you are hooked immediately. I loved all three of these men and wow the sex is hot. I recommend this to everyone, if you like M/M romances especially D’s relationships and broken men. It's free! What do you have to lose and you may find you will want to stalk the author and get more of her books!!
I did like parts of this story like how Chris, although he also mourned it, could acknowledge that his past relationship was not right for him. I think the meeting of Chris and Liam would have to be one of the funniest first impressions.
Sadly I did have some issues with this story. I also would have liked to have seen more getting to know each other happen between the three of them as I felt Chris and Greg seemed to have more conversation time. I felt like they didn’t have much of a connection between the three of them.
An unrealistic view of a subculture the author knows little about. It's a short story, thankfully. Had it been longer, I think it could have hit the heights of ridiculousness. As it was, it merely skimmed the ceiling.
I've given a three, because judging by the letter the story was written for, not much was expected anyway (It is impossible to take someone's 'breathe' away. You take their 'breath'); Sara York has done a masterful job of turning an awful premise into a passable work of fiction. This says so much for her admirable skill as a writer, but I think, perhaps, she would be better served using her considerable talents on more worthy projects than this. The author plainly doesn't know the scene surrounding BDSM and has only read about it in books. This has led to a warped scenario, much like Fifty Shades, dare I suggest, where consent, understanding, care, power exchanges and respect are all left by the wayside in favour of getting the characters naked and tied up.
Sara York is an amazingly talented writer. This is beneath her.
This usually isn’t my type of story. Menage. But I still gave it a chance and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. We have the established couple in a D/S relationship; Liam and Greg. They have their eyes set on Chris from the gym. Chris is now single, his boyfriend of three years just up and leaves him in a bit of an asshole move.
Chris thinks Greg is good looking, but he is smitten with Liam. Then one day Liam needs some help and calls for Chris, which leads to more. Greg decides he likes Chris also and thinks it would be best if Chris stayed with them and became involved with both of them. It would be really good for Liam.
Chris comes off as a not very human(in my opinion). As in, Greg decides he like Chris well enough but ‘adopts him’ for Liam. Because Liam really wants him. It would be interesting to see if Greg’s view point after the one year trial run is up.
Easy enough read, just have to get past the insta-relationship, insta-"sure, I'll let you put me on my knees and call you Sir", aspect of the book.
To me, it's a very typical Ms York book. Nothing that really made the characters stand out for me or pull me in. Perhaps if it'd been longer we could've had some character development that would have endeared me to one of them. Don't get me wrong, they're like able enough characters, it just moved too quickly for you to really care about them.
This was most definitely a filler book for me, what'd I'd read between to full length novels. It wasn't confusing, angsty, or poorly edited. And the few bits of sex helped keep me reading.
I don't feel I wasted time on the book, but a few hours later and I can't even remember their names. But I guess not everything can be stick-with-you memorable... Can it?
The book started out good but I think at the middle of everything it just lost some of its luster. Not to take away anything from the book because I still enjoyed it. I think it would have been better if some parts were explained further cause I think it lacked some details over important things that tybe book was trying to tackle.
The characters were okay. Nothing spectacular. But a three some is a three some so it was still hot. God, I kept imaginfinf the feeling to be in a threeaome while I read this book. I think the characters needed more building up for readers to really appreciate them fully.
Anyway, it was still a worthwhile read. So, I recommend MMM readers to try this kind out.