The Submissive

The Keyholder #2

by Shannon West

After repeatedly warning Cody of consequences for his bad habits and behavior, Jake administers discipline. Afterwards, he takes Cody to his club for the first time both to display his Dominance and to show the handsome Cody off to his friends. Public display is one of Cody’s soft limits, but Jake pushes his boundaries a little and they arrive at the club. Jake looks dark and dangerous in his leathers, exactly like what Cody imagined the Marquis de Sade must have looked like as he led his victims into his dungeon rooms. Cody can feel the sweat popping out on his brow, but he trusts Jake and allows him to find a table and join friends, where Cody sees an example of just how the "perfect submissive" should act. Confused, conflicted and consumed with jealousy, Cody feels like he is so far out of his depth he’s drowning. Worrying that his own ability to fit into the lifestyle is sorely lacking, Cody fears that Jake’s heart may be forever beyond his reach...AUTHOR’S I wondered what would happen if two people who had been best friends discovered they were in love, but one of them was a Dom. What would that journey look like? Would they be able to make it as a couple? This series chronicles that journey, with both Cody and Jake having to find their way. I decided to serialize their story to show the slow progression of a complicated relationship. This relationship happens to be a D/s coupling, but I think any new love story has potential pitfalls and requires a lot of give and take.

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, M M Contemporary, Gay, Fiction, Erotica

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2014

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really Really bad BDSM. The book skips the first 2 months of the relationship building of Dom Jake and sub Cody. This was a major disappointment because we did not get to see the adjustment and development. Cody was brand new to the lifestyle. Jake and Cody immediately move from a 5 year LE partnership to a live in 24/7 D/s lifestyle. During this time, to punish Cody for his auto asphyxiation accident, Jake denies Cody orgasms and gives him relief by milking his prostrate. WTF - for 2 months? Unfortunately, Jake has not fully trained Cody on proper D/s protocol. There is no discussion of expectations and limits. We do know that Cody does have a soft limit for public exhibition and humiliation. So what does Jake do? He abruptly takes Cody to his BDSM club for the first time expecting sub behavior, offering no guidance or even praise/reassurance while they are there. He even turns Cody over to another Dom for a short while. So of course Cody has a panic attack, tries to run out of the building in handcuffs, and safewords when Jake tackles him. Well Duuuuuuuh!

I quit reading at this point. I will not be continuing the series. There are better books at there where the Dom is more intelligent, develops a relationship with his sub, and gives him a fair chance.

For being a serial, this book spent too much page time summarizing the first book.

[Gigi]

Friend reviews are terrible.

[Mirjam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the The Keyholder Series and must be read in order:

[Lilia Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Truthfully I usually find West's books pretty hot, even when I'm disappointed otherwise. That's definitely the case here. The biggest problem is that the story jumps 2 months from the end of the first part, thus skipping pretty much every step of Cody's adjustment to life as a submissive. The story ends up being nothing more than a sexy vignette--Cody getting spanked and going to Jake's club. Given how short it is, it also wastes precious pages summarizing everything that happened in book 1. Jake is even less of a discernible character here--nothing more than a collection of "Dom" traits. Still, West knows how to craft a hot scene, so as PWP I guess it works.

[Emery LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is book 2 in this series. Jake, the keyholder, is trying to train Cody and help him with his submission. Cody is very insecure about the lifestyle but desperately wants to please Jake. He is finding himself enjoying the punishments almost as much as he fears them.
I felt like there was alot of degradation that Cody wasnt comfortable with. He certainly wasnt prepared for the club. Jake I think gets clouded in his Dom role because he is so in love with Cody. At any rate, it was a great quick read and Shannon West always keeps me entertained!

[Nile Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A worthy sequel and I'm interested to see where things go with Cody and Jake, but I won't be reading any other parts until they are compiled into one book, for one price. This blatant ploy to extract more money out of readers just doesn't fly with me. Sorry, boys.

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part 2 in Cody and Jake's story. Read like a chapter to a bigger book. They go to a BDSM club. Not all that hot and not even much in advancing their relationship. Only at the end do we see some true love and care. Disappointing.

[Wandering Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Submissive begins over two months from The Keyholder and show Cody McCall’s and Jake Rogers’ budding D/s dynamic progressing so well that Jake and Cody now live together in a 24/7 D/s relationship.

Cody is more in love with Jake than ever and we get a little more description about Jake’s appearance, as Cody tells us that “If Brad Pitt and God had a baby, it would look like Jake.” LOL! Okay, there, Cody.

The main event of this story is Cody’s first trip to a dungeon and first scene outing as Jake’s sub among Jake’s scene friends/acquaintances, which has Cody feeling anxious and insecure.
I like how the story is going, but I still have issue with the length of each installment which I have taken to referring as chapters since they are so short.

I was disappointed to see some of the same editing discrepancies in this chapter of the continuing story that I saw in the first chapter, The Keyholder, and still classify this as "fantasy" BDSM, but I like the overall story and will read chapter three, The Captive, to see what our MCs are faring.

[SoCalBookReviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.. Again.. It was ok

Same as book one. There are a few places where the 2 main characters names are mixed up (using the wrong name at the wrong time). But overall the book was OK for being short. It had a decent storyline to it that followed book one. Not so sure about Jake being a good Dom. Seems kind of selfish to me but I'll see how book 3 goes before I totally judge him Lol.

[mah1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those books I've bought randomly without checking if they're a part of a series. Fpr those who are familiar witht he characters, this is probably a satisfying shor story, but I couldn't really connect with the characters. I'm always one for insecurities though, and the subs vulnerability was written well.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

The saving grace is that the sex is hot as cheese on toast. But still too short and abrupt endings. Plus what happened to the first few weeks of getting to know each other, the moving in together? And being so short a tad closer editing wouldn't go amiss - at least enough to switch to correct names.

[Joelle Mendes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot new chapter

Jake and Cody's relationship really develops here. The sex is hot and you can feel their emotions for each other. I am really loving these two and their journey. Looking forward to the next one.

[Livia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first one. I'm dubious about BDSM writers as they can get a bit carried away at times but the writer detailed it well. Good chemistry and connection with the characters and detailing the early days of this new relationship and lifestyle.

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues the story of Cody and Jake. Things are working okay but Cody has some insecurities and Jake has to give him the kind of reassurance he can understand.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Submissive

I love this series so far. I can not wait for the next book as Jake and Cody fall in love and learn each other's quirks and issues that they have. Erin

[Skye Blue ☆*~ﾟლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty hot spanking.
Wish we could have seen some of the in between 1 and 2.
Nice short. Mostly a scene.

[Tessi4M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better than the first one - I do love a bit of jealousy (don't worry folks, no cheating here).

[Mae Hanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, short story. 30ish pages.
I enjoyed the dynamic between Jake and Cody.

[Jeremy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting continuing story with twists in it

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cody is trying to be a good submissive but feels he will never get Jake's love.

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

[Ayden · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF... I can't believe I stopped reading the Housemates series for this. Live and learn not to always go for a book based on the cover. My bad.