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Beginner's Luck
Aaron is ready to give up control.
After a quiet divorce and a fresh start in a new city, Aaron is done pretending he doesn’t crave submission. He’s spent years being the strong, assertive one—and now it's time to explore the part of himself he’s kept locked away. Stepping into the BDSM scene for the first time is overwhelming, but with the support of the Kink Talk chatroom, he’s finally taking the leap.
Jay has given up on love.
At the club, Jay is a confident, authoritative Dom with no shortage of scene partners, but the real Jay is laid-back, hesitant, and far more sensitive than he lets on. Years of failed relationships have taught him not to hope—until Aaron walks in and turns everything upside down.
Aaron knows exactly what he wants.
Jay will do anything to please him.
But when a protective sub wants to take care of an indecisive Dom, control isn’t the only thing at stake. Trust, vulnerability, and the possibility of a real connection hang in the balance as they discover what dominance and submission can truly mean.
Beginner’s Luck is book 1 in the Kink Talk series, but can be read as a standalone. It's a low-angst, contemporary, BDSM-adjacent MM romance featuring first times, flipped expectations, plenty of steam, and a guaranteed HEA.
After a quiet divorce and a fresh start in a new city, Aaron is done pretending he doesn’t crave submission. He’s spent years being the strong, assertive one—and now it's time to explore the part of himself he’s kept locked away. Stepping into the BDSM scene for the first time is overwhelming, but with the support of the Kink Talk chatroom, he’s finally taking the leap.
Jay has given up on love.
At the club, Jay is a confident, authoritative Dom with no shortage of scene partners, but the real Jay is laid-back, hesitant, and far more sensitive than he lets on. Years of failed relationships have taught him not to hope—until Aaron walks in and turns everything upside down.
Aaron knows exactly what he wants.
Jay will do anything to please him.
But when a protective sub wants to take care of an indecisive Dom, control isn’t the only thing at stake. Trust, vulnerability, and the possibility of a real connection hang in the balance as they discover what dominance and submission can truly mean.
Beginner’s Luck is book 1 in the Kink Talk series, but can be read as a standalone. It's a low-angst, contemporary, BDSM-adjacent MM romance featuring first times, flipped expectations, plenty of steam, and a guaranteed HEA.
- GenresM M RomanceBDSMRomance
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 18, 2026
About the author
Ivy Glaze
2 books6 followersIvy Glaze is the author of Beginner’s Luck, a contemporary MM romance and the first book in the kink talk series. Her work focuses on low-angst, emotionally driven MM romance.
She loves reading and writing across all genres, but after discovering romance at the tender age of 36, she became hooked on powerful emotions and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
These days, she spends all her free time crafting cozy, low-angst queer romances about real people finding love, connection, and the confidence to want what they want—with plenty of spice along the way. After a fair bit of traveling in her youth, she looks forward to revisiting all her favorite cities by setting a book in each one.
Ivy prefers writing in the morning while guzzling coffee and sharing her workspace with several unimpressed cats.
She loves reading and writing across all genres, but after discovering romance at the tender age of 36, she became hooked on powerful emotions and guaranteed happily-ever-afters.
These days, she spends all her free time crafting cozy, low-angst queer romances about real people finding love, connection, and the confidence to want what they want—with plenty of spice along the way. After a fair bit of traveling in her youth, she looks forward to revisiting all her favorite cities by setting a book in each one.
Ivy prefers writing in the morning while guzzling coffee and sharing her workspace with several unimpressed cats.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 13, 2026
im sorryyy this just really wasn’t for it for me.
really had to fight for my life till 15% and then it picks up from there
i understand there are different kinds of d/s relationships and not everyone would want to be in them roles 24/7, totally fine.
but to be so meek and unasserting that he can’t even stand up for himself at a restaurant when the waiter puts tomatoes on his salad and he’s listen allergic to them. it’s fine cause he’s not anaphylactic?? no way am I trusting this man to dominate me. I would lose my respect for him so fast 😭
really had to fight for my life till 15% and then it picks up from there
i understand there are different kinds of d/s relationships and not everyone would want to be in them roles 24/7, totally fine.
but to be so meek and unasserting that he can’t even stand up for himself at a restaurant when the waiter puts tomatoes on his salad and he’s listen allergic to them. it’s fine cause he’s not anaphylactic?? no way am I trusting this man to dominate me. I would lose my respect for him so fast 😭
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC received from author
This is an easy read, low angst story with a HEA. Aaron and Jay meet at a BDSM club, a Dom who wants to be looked after outside the scene and a Sub who is strong and assertive when not being a sub. The characters are well written and likeable. The Kink Talk chat room brings a light hearted element to the story. This is an enjoyable book with a light BDSM touch. I look forward to the next books in this series.
I received an ARC from the author, this review is given freely and without influence from the author
This is an easy read, low angst story with a HEA. Aaron and Jay meet at a BDSM club, a Dom who wants to be looked after outside the scene and a Sub who is strong and assertive when not being a sub. The characters are well written and likeable. The Kink Talk chat room brings a light hearted element to the story. This is an enjoyable book with a light BDSM touch. I look forward to the next books in this series.
I received an ARC from the author, this review is given freely and without influence from the author
July 20, 2026
I love a book with some BDSM kink, and this one delivered that while also giving me a genuinely sweet friends-to-lovers romance, so I walked away a very happy reader.
Jay and Aaron were such a lovable couple. I'm always a fan of an older sub/younger Dom dynamic, and I really enjoyed watching these two navigate what that looked like for them as they explored the lifestyle together. Their meet-cute was adorable, and I loved that they kept serendipitously running into each other after that without ever exchanging phone numbers. It made for a sweet, slow-burning romance that felt natural as their friendship gradually developed into something more.
One of my favorite parts of the story was that Jay and Aaron truly became friends before exploring the sexual side of their relationship. They were both total green-flag characters who knew they were interested in kink but were willing to wait until they found someone who was genuinely the right fit. I also liked the contrast between their everyday personalities and their dynamic in the bedroom. Aaron was confident and assertive in daily life, while Jay tended to be quieter and more reserved, but those roles shifted once they stepped into their D/s relationship.
Their communication around kink and boundaries was excellent, which made it all the more frustrating that they struggled to be honest about their growing feelings for each other. That first kiss didn't happen until 82%, and the wait felt like torture—but it was absolutely worth it when it finally happened.
Once they finally admitted how they felt, everything just clicked. They were such a great match and genuinely brought out the best in one another. I appreciated that this story balanced its kink and spicy moments with plenty of tenderness and emotional connection, making the romance feel just as important as the steam.
If you're looking for a heartwarming MM romance with a friends-to-lovers slow burn, an older sub/younger Dom dynamic, two green-flag MCs, and plenty of delicious spice, this is definitely one to check out.
Tropes:
Friends to Lovers
Slow Burn
Older Sub / Younger Dom
BDSM/Kink Exploration
Green Flag MCs
Found Through Serendipity
Emotional Romance
Jay and Aaron were such a lovable couple. I'm always a fan of an older sub/younger Dom dynamic, and I really enjoyed watching these two navigate what that looked like for them as they explored the lifestyle together. Their meet-cute was adorable, and I loved that they kept serendipitously running into each other after that without ever exchanging phone numbers. It made for a sweet, slow-burning romance that felt natural as their friendship gradually developed into something more.
One of my favorite parts of the story was that Jay and Aaron truly became friends before exploring the sexual side of their relationship. They were both total green-flag characters who knew they were interested in kink but were willing to wait until they found someone who was genuinely the right fit. I also liked the contrast between their everyday personalities and their dynamic in the bedroom. Aaron was confident and assertive in daily life, while Jay tended to be quieter and more reserved, but those roles shifted once they stepped into their D/s relationship.
Their communication around kink and boundaries was excellent, which made it all the more frustrating that they struggled to be honest about their growing feelings for each other. That first kiss didn't happen until 82%, and the wait felt like torture—but it was absolutely worth it when it finally happened.
Once they finally admitted how they felt, everything just clicked. They were such a great match and genuinely brought out the best in one another. I appreciated that this story balanced its kink and spicy moments with plenty of tenderness and emotional connection, making the romance feel just as important as the steam.
If you're looking for a heartwarming MM romance with a friends-to-lovers slow burn, an older sub/younger Dom dynamic, two green-flag MCs, and plenty of delicious spice, this is definitely one to check out.
Tropes:
Friends to Lovers
Slow Burn
Older Sub / Younger Dom
BDSM/Kink Exploration
Green Flag MCs
Found Through Serendipity
Emotional Romance
March 14, 2026
-ARC Review-
I thoroughly enjoyed these two. Aaron and Jay were just so sweet. Their personalities complemented each other in the best ways and they were exactly what the other needed.
I loved Jay instantly. He was so kind and caring. His lack of confidence broke my heart in the beginning, thinking he wasn’t good enough for the kind of relationship he truly wanted. But I’m so glad Aaron helped him find and build that confidence up.
Their story was low-angst which I enjoyed. The little hiccups they had with communication, they solved them very quickly and I appreciated that so much. It felt very mature and was enjoyable to read.
The spice was good too. There was a good amount of variety and it was entertaining to read. I just wished there was more of it! 😍
I enjoyed reading the story of Jay and Aaron and definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a low-angst, mature, MM story with spicy BDSM activities mixed in.
I thoroughly enjoyed these two. Aaron and Jay were just so sweet. Their personalities complemented each other in the best ways and they were exactly what the other needed.
I loved Jay instantly. He was so kind and caring. His lack of confidence broke my heart in the beginning, thinking he wasn’t good enough for the kind of relationship he truly wanted. But I’m so glad Aaron helped him find and build that confidence up.
Their story was low-angst which I enjoyed. The little hiccups they had with communication, they solved them very quickly and I appreciated that so much. It felt very mature and was enjoyable to read.
The spice was good too. There was a good amount of variety and it was entertaining to read. I just wished there was more of it! 😍
I enjoyed reading the story of Jay and Aaron and definitely recommend it to anyone interested in a low-angst, mature, MM story with spicy BDSM activities mixed in.
June 9, 2026
A very interesting & very high-spice romance. I liked the pairing of Aaron & Jay and also how the Dom/Sub relationship works one way in the bedroom and then the opposite way in their everyday lives - this was a pleasing twist on the theme. I also thought the growth of trust between them was well done. There are some great moments in this and I really loved Aaron's 8-page list of his Sub dislikes & likes, which rather knocks Jay off balance, but he does his best! How I admire a man who writes things down. Jay's family life is also well done and I loved the sisters. Oh and a special mention to the Kink Club chat group - they were wonderful. A good read.
July 25, 2026
I will never give a romance book a high rate if the only conflict is the characters refusal to talk to each other about their feelings. Bro y'all could have skipped past all this BS and game playing. Realized y'all were both on the same page, and spent the rest of the book navigating what that means for your present.
Life is short and you're wasting everyone's time. Only to wrap up at them finally having a discussion they should have been having all along. Shut the fuck up.
Not to mention the fact that BDSM's most important foundation is communication. Like you can't even be honest about the fact that you're into each other, that is not something you can build a foundation of trust upon. That's so yucky. So what if it turns out the other person doesn't feel the same way, at least now you know and should probably not continue doing what you're doing. That's messed up.
There's literally nothing else keeping you apart except the fact that both of the characters failure at honest communication. That's weak story telling.
Life is short and you're wasting everyone's time. Only to wrap up at them finally having a discussion they should have been having all along. Shut the fuck up.
Not to mention the fact that BDSM's most important foundation is communication. Like you can't even be honest about the fact that you're into each other, that is not something you can build a foundation of trust upon. That's so yucky. So what if it turns out the other person doesn't feel the same way, at least now you know and should probably not continue doing what you're doing. That's messed up.
There's literally nothing else keeping you apart except the fact that both of the characters failure at honest communication. That's weak story telling.
March 19, 2026
Aaron fresh from a divorce is looking to start over. He is done being assertive and is ready to have someone take that control away from him - he has hidden it for so long he is ready to just let go. Stepping into a BDSM he never expected to find a connection like he did the second he met Jay.
Jay only likes to be dominant in the club, in his every day life he struggles with confidence and feels like he could never been good enough to love.
Jay had my heart from the beginning he is so kind and caring to Aaron, his family is amazing. I love how they became friends first and slowly developed feelings for each other and their scenes were especially hot. Thoroughly enjoyed the low angst/HEA.
Jay only likes to be dominant in the club, in his every day life he struggles with confidence and feels like he could never been good enough to love.
Jay had my heart from the beginning he is so kind and caring to Aaron, his family is amazing. I love how they became friends first and slowly developed feelings for each other and their scenes were especially hot. Thoroughly enjoyed the low angst/HEA.
June 2, 2026
This contained several kinks I was apprehensive about: sweat, hairiness (I guess?), basically dry (painful) fingering, CNC of all things and it was so, so sweet and so, so hot and the chatroom was so fun and it was so low angst. Family feels, an ex-husband (amiable divorce) with his girlfriend as a wingman, but also the club and hot sexy scenes, shibari!
Main characters of 39 and 29 (I think?), negotiation, playing at a kink club and having a sweet date at a zoo, friends and soccer game and living your life and
My favorite part was that the sub was assertive and in charge outside of scenes.
Main characters of 39 and 29 (I think?), negotiation, playing at a kink club and having a sweet date at a zoo, friends and soccer game and living your life and
My favorite part was that the sub was assertive and in charge outside of scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2026
I don’t go for books with a BDSM/dom/sub plot but read this on a recommendation I found on Instagram someone who I typically love all her recommendations. Am I ever glad I did. I’d call this BDSM light. Very much a sweet love story with some soft BDSM as Aaron and Jay navigated both finding love and finding their place in a dom/sub relationship. The second chance at love for Aaron was beautifully written and navigated. Also liked the age gap and how that was portrayed. Cannot wait for the second book in this series to come out.
Review of advance copy
Really enjoyed this! I’m not often a fan of low angst, but Aaron and Jay’s relationship grew at a nice pace and never felt boring. I also think the author hit the perfect balance between romance and kink — I feel like a lot times when people attempt to combine the two, it either comes off as pure erotica or too vanilla, but the scenes here were realistic, hot and romantic.
July 19, 2026
Interesting angle on a D/s relationship. Aaron and Jay had a dynamic that I'd never read about before. A dom (Jay) who was not confident outside of the bedroom. And a sub that was much older than his Dom (Aaron) and took charge outside the bedroom. I had to keep on schooling myself when i was reading. In many books the dom is very confident in all areas, so this was different. Enjoyable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2026
I really enjoyed this. I thought it had a perfect balance of BDSM, relationship development and individual life/issues. It was a bit too low drama for me and the characters were a bit too perfectly complementary, but still a great read. Looking forward to the next in the series later this year.
March 26, 2026
If youre looking for a low(to no) anxiety enducing M-M romance, this should be on your 'to read' list.
April 4, 2026
Loved this story! Very hot, but sweet too. The dynamic between the MCs was fantastic. Highly recommend!
Did Not Finish
May 24, 2026Didn't capture my attention from the go
July 18, 2026
3⭐️
3🌶️
Sweet story about a first time sub, Aaron and a younger untraditional dom, Jay. It’s sweet, insta-lust with some hot spice. Quick enjoyable read
3🌶️
Sweet story about a first time sub, Aaron and a younger untraditional dom, Jay. It’s sweet, insta-lust with some hot spice. Quick enjoyable read
July 23, 2026
This one was completely different from what I expected but I loved it!
July 26, 2026
HOLY!
I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end!
I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews