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Master Key
A Rules to Live By Story Marquis and Navin have it all — they’re hot, they’re young, they’re successful, and they’re crazy about each other. So why isn’t it working? Marquis can’t show up on time, if he shows up at all, and Navin has stopped caring because the alternative is dumping Marquis for making him feel unimportant. They’re trapped by their insecurities, their work obligations, and their inability to actually talk to each other. Marquis makes a last ditch effort at reconciliation by offering Navin a chance to lock him up—in a cock cage. It’s their first try at kink, but no matter how hot it makes them, they quickly learn that spice in the bedroom is no substitute for honest communication. * * * * * * * This novella also available in the Rules to Live By anthology. Word 26,000; page 99
100 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2015
1 person is currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Anah Crow
58 books195 followersUnder Construction!
F.A.Q.
Do you want to participate in Generic_Author_Event?
F.A.Q.
Do you want to participate in Generic_Author_Event?
Drop me a line, please! If you're looking for a book for donation or a blog post from me, I'm usually cool with that.Are you going to write a sequel to Some_Book_You_Wrote?
The up front answer is no, unless the book cover indicates that it's part of a series. If there's going to be a sequel to a book, you'll know once I've signed the contract.Who is this Dianne person?
Only the light of my life and all that rot. She e-sides here: http://www.foxwrites.com/ Without her, you wouldn't see much from me at all, not even the books that don't have her name on the cover.Do you read your email?
All the time. I think the question you want is do I answer my email? Occasionally. Badly. I'm a terrible, terrible emailer.You're reading X books at once?!
Only occasionally at once. I can read two books at the same time, but I get dizzy. Mostly, I just switch books depending on my mood. It's unusual for me to have less than four on the go at a time.Do you read reviews of your books?
No, sorry! I'm here, yes, but I prefer not to read reviews (no matter how lovely they are) because once a book has left my hands and is available to the readers, my relationship to it changes. It's all grown up. :) I have a clutter of booklings to nurture so they will join the others on your shelves.Will you read/review my book?
Sorry, but no. There are a number of reasons for this but the biggest is—I suck at doing these things. I'm a horrible procrastinator. I get wound up and then blank out what I'm supposed to do. My ADHD goes galumphing through my head like a bull in a china shop, wrecking everything.I'm a writer and you hated/loved my book!
I'm sure you're a lovely person, either way. Please have one or both of: "I'm sorry!" or "You're welcome!"Can I be excused now?
Of course you can! Thanks for reading.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 26, 2015
I couldn't wait for this story to be over.
I'm super bummed because I was REALLY excited for this one. I love, love, love the idea of chastity, and just the idea of an M/M featuring a cock cage was getting me hot and bothered! However, the rest of the story just wasn't for me.
I don't love established couple stories, and I really don't love stories where an established couple basically fights for the entire book. Navin and Marquis argued the entire time. The story was one big, long look into a dysfunctional couple, which just isn't what I like to read about. To top it off, in order for me to buy a BDSM-type story, I need the dom-type character to be, well, dom-y. Navin was sort of wishy washy and I didn't get a dominate vibe from him at all. In fact, he seemed like he was more submissive to me. I just felt like this couple was an awkward fit, and I just wanted both men to find other people. I wasn't feeling the love.
Also, and this is a bit of personal preference, but I also like my All of these things might not bother you one bit, but they were sort of disappointing for me.
I'm super bummed because I was REALLY excited for this one. I love, love, love the idea of chastity, and just the idea of an M/M featuring a cock cage was getting me hot and bothered! However, the rest of the story just wasn't for me.
I don't love established couple stories, and I really don't love stories where an established couple basically fights for the entire book. Navin and Marquis argued the entire time. The story was one big, long look into a dysfunctional couple, which just isn't what I like to read about. To top it off, in order for me to buy a BDSM-type story, I need the dom-type character to be, well, dom-y. Navin was sort of wishy washy and I didn't get a dominate vibe from him at all. In fact, he seemed like he was more submissive to me. I just felt like this couple was an awkward fit, and I just wanted both men to find other people. I wasn't feeling the love.
Also, and this is a bit of personal preference, but I also like my All of these things might not bother you one bit, but they were sort of disappointing for me.
February 16, 2015
NEW ANAH CROW & DIANNE FOX?!?!?!?!
*flails*
WITH CHASTITY!!!!!!
*faints*
THE GODS ARE SHINING ON ME.
Good day is good.
I ended up reading the entire anthology.
February 4, 2018
This was a fine little story, but honestly nothing special. These boys have a pretty simple issue with their relationship, and the authors set it up well... We get all kinds of back story on their family lives and aspects which contribute to why they're feeling as they do. So everything is structured well, it was just a little predictable. Still, a fun and easy read.
February 18, 2020
Almost 3 stars...
RTC
RTC
April 26, 2015
Febr. 15, 2015
1. Is this contemporary?
2. Is this a joke? At ARe I just saw: 2.600 words, 3,99$ ??? You got to be kidding me :(
April 25, 2015:
So, off to reading this! Got is with some rebate from ARe and it's 84 pages on my kindle...
Finished and - well, I guess it was ok, with parts of 'I didn't like it'.
1. Is this contemporary?
2. Is this a joke? At ARe I just saw: 2.600 words, 3,99$ ??? You got to be kidding me :(
April 25, 2015:
So, off to reading this! Got is with some rebate from ARe and it's 84 pages on my kindle...
Finished and - well, I guess it was ok, with parts of 'I didn't like it'.
May 17, 2015
So, let's say we have two guys who've been dating for a year, and one of them has been ignoring this little voice inside him which says he really craves being dominated, taken control of and used. He's ashamed because it feels wrong. He just wants to feel normal, and he doesn't want to scare off his boyfriend, so he ignores it and pours himself into the work he loves (and makes him feel normal), taking on more than his share, neglecting his boyfriend by not showing up on time (if at all)...
Not a good situation. Particularly when the boyfriend tends to fade into the background of his family, and he just wants to come first with someone in his life, over the job. And he's tired of expecting and allowing the "I'm sorry, it won't happen again" cycle.
Thus we have Marquis and Navin. They really do care for and don't want to give up on each other, but their priorities and expectations are all messed up.
Navin accidentally taps into Marquis's domination fantasies, and they roll with it without Navin understanding what Marquis craves, though Navin manages to obliviously deliver. Several sexy encounters in this one, too.
As a story of two guys who don't really know what they're doing when it comes to dominance and submission, but are figuring it out together (BDSM light, as some refer to it--the cock cage is as far as it goes), I really enjoyed this one. Marquis believed Navin's dominance would be a magical fix, but he learns the hard way that it's not. And Navin learns not to be so passive in his own life.
Not a good situation. Particularly when the boyfriend tends to fade into the background of his family, and he just wants to come first with someone in his life, over the job. And he's tired of expecting and allowing the "I'm sorry, it won't happen again" cycle.
Thus we have Marquis and Navin. They really do care for and don't want to give up on each other, but their priorities and expectations are all messed up.
Navin accidentally taps into Marquis's domination fantasies, and they roll with it without Navin understanding what Marquis craves, though Navin manages to obliviously deliver. Several sexy encounters in this one, too.
As a story of two guys who don't really know what they're doing when it comes to dominance and submission, but are figuring it out together (BDSM light, as some refer to it--the cock cage is as far as it goes), I really enjoyed this one. Marquis believed Navin's dominance would be a magical fix, but he learns the hard way that it's not. And Navin learns not to be so passive in his own life.
November 6, 2016
Read as part of Rules to Live By Anthology.
February 15, 2020
Really wanted to like this one but they shoudda talked sooner and boinked more.
March 2, 2016
This was just two ("it was okay") stars for me. During the initial pages, I felt a little lost. A lot of names and relationships get thrown out at once and I had trouble keeping track of who was who and what was going on. I had to go back and re-read because I didn't understand if Marquis was a brother or a boyfriend at first. After that, things ran more smoothly.
On one hand, I like that the couple realize that BDSM is not a fix-all for actual communication. That was refreshing. On the other hand, I disagreed with some of the conclusions they drew.
Just my $0.02. I know it may not be a big deal to others. It just struck a cord with me and I didn't like that there didn't seem to be a compromise; it all fell to Navin to make peace with the situation.
Overall, I found myself rooting for the characters to break up and find happiness elsewhere instead of staying together. In the end, I don't see them lasting. I think the problems they had throughout the book will continue to surface in the future. That is disappointing because I love feeling (or at least hoping) that characters are going to have a happily ever after of some kind when I read a romance novel.
There were a lot of points where I felt like the story was coming to an end, but it kept going. I don't know if that was due to editing or if it was just a writing style, but I found that I wanted it to end and kept hoping that one of the conclusions would stick.
On one hand, I like that the couple realize that BDSM is not a fix-all for actual communication. That was refreshing. On the other hand, I disagreed with some of the conclusions they drew.
Just my $0.02. I know it may not be a big deal to others. It just struck a cord with me and I didn't like that there didn't seem to be a compromise; it all fell to Navin to make peace with the situation.
Overall, I found myself rooting for the characters to break up and find happiness elsewhere instead of staying together. In the end, I don't see them lasting. I think the problems they had throughout the book will continue to surface in the future. That is disappointing because I love feeling (or at least hoping) that characters are going to have a happily ever after of some kind when I read a romance novel.
There were a lot of points where I felt like the story was coming to an end, but it kept going. I don't know if that was due to editing or if it was just a writing style, but I found that I wanted it to end and kept hoping that one of the conclusions would stick.
maybe
February 16, 2015Part of the Rules to Live By Anthology
August 5, 2015
Nice short story with a little give and take.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews