Aleksander is short-tempered, antisocial, and though he’s unaware of it, wildly sexy. He’s also a naturally dominant shape shifting monster who’s sliding into madness. He needs a human ‘grounder’ to submit to him and draw forth his protective human side. Instead he is given two Constance, a fledgling sub with a reckless streak whose intense desire to serve has brought her nothing but heartache, and Kirk, a former NYPD cop who's trying to subdue his own alpha instincts and play submissive in order to fulfill a family debt.
But once these grounders meet their new master, they quickly discover that in order to save Aleksander from himself, they must alter their assigned roles and form a unique triad of domination and submission that goes against Aleksander’s very nature. Constance needs to convince Aleksander he can be gentle and protective, while Kirk wants to show him there is freedom in surrendering to another dominant. The task isn't easy, Aleksander fights them every step of the way, and a conspiracy surfaces which not even a creature as powerful as Aleksander may be able to overcome.
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Ms. Owens brings us another interesting paranormal world with this story. Here, the Chimera are real, shape-shifting monsters made up of mostly dominant males. Aleksander is one who has the inherited skill of being a “Poisoner,” or one who is able to create the poison needed to kill other Chimera. He is basically the executioner of rogue Chimeras who have lost control of their beasts. In order to keep from going mad, Chimeras utilize submissive humans go ground them, aka “Grounders.” Aleks is given a female Grounder, Constance, but is also surprised to end up with a male Grounder, Kirk, as well.
All is not as it seems and all doesn’t go to plan, however. Kirk, for instance, believes he is fulfilling a four-month sentence that will, in turn, save his brother. Constance has a plan of her own. What ensues is a tricky, twisty and interesting saga where the three must learn to trust and rely on each other when they realize there is much more at play and none of them are in control. I enjoyed trying to figure out where this was going and felt a bit like a mouse in a maze hitting dead ends after taking roads with twists and turns. This is shaping up to be a very enjoyable series. I’m already a huge fan of Ms. Owens, and highly recommend you check out Juxtapose City for another amazing paranormal story. Or, if you are looking for more of a BDSM dynamic, Sin City is at the top of my favorites list. Either way, Ms. Owens has proven that she can create worlds that span many books, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of this one.
This is a VERY slow-developing romance, with many fits and starts due mainly to Aleks being a supercilious snob. I kinda wanted to throw a shoe at his head. He looks down on Constance and Kirk for being human, but his whole chimera life is falling apart because he won’t try to engage with them. I think the author did a decent job of trying to get the bond development right, so that we could see this triad needs to be built this way, but it takes a very long time for the so-called genius intellect to get his thoughts in line. Kirk does a masterful job corralling/dominating both Aleks and Constance, and he mainly steals the limelight in this book. Constance almost seems like a throwaway, until late when she takes charge of her own needs in the second half of the book.
The chimeras are real and are living among us since the beginning of time. Powerful creatures who, unbeknownst to humans, have managed to create their own society and live according to well established rules.
Each and every one of them has a precise role.
Aleksander is a poisoner. He’s the one who has to come up with the poison to eliminate those chimeras who have lost control and allowed their beast to take over completely, but ,with every life taken, he loses a little bit of himself.
Living as a reclusive has it’s own advantages but lately Aleks feels his control slip more and more and he’s afraid of what might happen one day.
What he never expected was to find himself with two definitely uninvited guests in his house. Humans, nonetheless. He has no use for them.
Kirk can’t believe what he has to do to keep his brother alive. To live four months at the mercies of a chimera is not something he could have ever imagined it would happen, but there he is.
His job is to ground this Aleksander, whatever that means and he’s not the only one. The beautiful Constance is there as well with a mission of her own.
Things don’t work out exactly the way they want and those three will have to learn to trust and rely on each other because there is so much more going on than what they think.
Aleksander, Constance and Kirk will have to learn how to face their fears, let go of the past and face the future together or be road kill in a game they’re not even aware they’re playing. Tricia did a wonderful job. Just when you think everything is on the right track, something happens and you’re back to where you started.
Master of No One is an interesting blend of M/M Romance, Erotica, Fantasy, Mythology and Mystery, well written and fast paced, so it has a little bit of everything for everyone.
It is the first in a series so, when you reach the end of it, don’t get mad. I’ve been assured there will be a second book.
When a race as a whole is supposed to only be alpha dominant males, how does this work? Aleksander is a shape-shifting Chimera who holds the dangerous position of "Poisoner". This is a hereditary job which he took over from his mother. This job does mess with the mind of the Poisoner. They become paranoid and seem to lose their mind. The way to keep their humanity is for a submissive human to ground them. This grounding helps a Chimera keep control over their human form.
This story could be just a kink fest of sexy ménage. It encompasses more as Ms. Owens includes betrayal, conspiracies and revenge. It is a good thing this is only the first book in the series because even though it is a good length story, there are many questions left unanswered. Just as the story's plot moves forward, the story comes to an end quickly. It feels like coitus interruptus.
The erotic power skirmish between a powerful being and an alpha human male is delicious. It could come across amusing. Instead, Kirk, Aleksander's second grounder generates erotic tension by challenging Aleksander over and over. When it becomes apparent that Aleksander may not be the sexual dominant in this triad, it's when the erotic scenes go into overdrive. Constance as the female submissive who loves to serve is now torn between two alpha males fighting over their piece of territory. This is well done and panty-wetting goodness.
This story could have gone three different ways. It could be an erotic ménage focused on the arousing BDSM elements. It could be paranormal with a plot driven focus. Instead, Ms. Owens decides to mix the kinky sex with a paranormal mystery plot. With this third option, there is a little bit too much going which makes this story's pace feel jarring. Instead of picking a main focus and weaving the secondary thread into a blended story, Ms. Owens alternates between the BDSM relationship and the plot against Aleksander. This is why some may feel the story starts out too slow and concludes too fast. Regardless, I liked all the characters, I loved the sex, and I enjoyed the intrigue. This paranormal erotica is recommended for kinky ménage lovers.
One of the things I enjoy about PNR books is the world building that happens, and Tricia Owens did not disappoint in her creation of the Chimera lore and how humans are part of their world. I loved the triangle she set-up, with two dominant males and a submissive female, and it was fun to watch the relationship be built between the three characters.
I found the whole concept of the “grounders” really neat and I loved the twist that was thrown at Aleksander – it was clear that Kirk was not going to be submissive, so watching these two dance around each other and fight the attraction and need that existed was fun. Constance was a great buffer between the two. I loved watching her take on her submissive role but never appearing weak or less than. She was a very strong woman who could stand on her own, and even though she “submitted”, she never gave up the ability to stand up for herself.
The overall pace of the book was a little slower than I normally like – some of this had to do with the need for the author to give enough background about her characters and the lore, and to set the stage for future books in this series. I would have also liked to have seen more intimate scenes. There was lots tension and build up, but not a lot of heat action – especially involving all three parties. That being said, I did like the tension and build up, especially since it was a key element in telling Aleksander’s story.
All in all a nice start to a new series that should have some interesting stories to tell. I’m looking forward to learning more about the Chimera council and people.
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
I liked this story a lot. I did not know what to expect when I started to read, but I definitely was not disappointed.
The story is about Aleksander, a chimera, poisoner and switch in denial, Constance, a submissive female, and Kirk, a cop and dominant lover. I was curious how these three would fit together, and in the end I could see this work. I never really warmed up to Constance, but I am mostly a m/m reader, so it is already great that she did not annoy me. She had her role in this menage, but I felt that Aleksander and Kirk had more interesting layers. I liked the dynamics and understood why it was important for Aleksander to have a more submissive and dominant lover. I just would have liked to see more intimate scenes, especially between Aleksander and Kirk, it was very hot to read when Aleksander would yield.
The world is very interesting and I liked this view on chimeras. I would have liked if the author delved deeper in the politics and relationships in the chimera world, because I would have loved to see how other chimera-grounder couples work.
The only thing that disappointed me was the ending. As I see it now this will not be a series, and for that this book had a very open ending. The bad guys were not totally conquered. I would have liked to see another book to work out the dynamic more or to see another interesting couple that also has a problem with the council or helps this trio in their fight.
*Edit* And the author just made my day! This is book one of a series and there will be more about Leo.
Master of No one sort of pulls you in, but it's a build up. It has you wondering why they really need two people to look after one guy. You're thinking well dang he can't be that bad. Well guess again he can. Constance is dedicated to Aleksander, but she fears that she has failed him and will be taken away. Kirk is there because he will do anything to protect his brother and that means babysitting Aleksander and taming him to put it loosely. Aleksander gives no f***s. He doesn't want Kirk there because he makes him question things. Kirk does wear him down and builds a connection with him, though you are thinking the whole time, he isn't going to cave, but boy does he. There are a few twist and turns that doesn't keep the story on the straight and narrow. I enjoy this story and can't wait to read more from this author.
Aleksandar is a chimera poisoner with a problem, he's losing his ability to control his shifts and his poisons are no longer effective. Constance and Kirk are his grounders, their job is to help him control himself by being subservient to his uber alpha chimera. Only one of them isn't a sub, in addition, there's something fishy going on and time to figure it out is growing short. This story started a bit slow for me, but it picked up and got interesting, when all the mystery, confusion, self-doubt, and frustration started up. This turned out to be better than I thought. Will have to read more by Tricia Owens. I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you for the ARC read, I voluntarily give this book an honest review. Chimera's needed grounding in the shifter world. When the council of the all chimera's decided that the great poisoner Aleksander was on need, Kirk was came in after his brother backed out of the deal. Now if Kirk could just get the his four months or so with out getting himself killed by the poisoner then he be ok. Constance had been with Aleksander for thirteen month's with him hardly even noticing her, that was until Kirk showed up assigned there from the council member's. Aleksander had no need for the humans in his home or his life. After the loss of his one and only love Dmitri, he was just going through the motions of being what the council wanted. What of the heat that simmers just underneath the surface that starts building between the three? One his grounder the other is Dominate, this was such a great new type of story of shifters. The struggle that Aleksander goes through along with Kirk' s sexuality struggle was moving tale then with the betrayal of someone in the council member's. An amazing adventure of love overcome all odds. A wonderful new shifter kind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A paranormal romance between a chimera and his grounders, but so much more than that. There is enough angst and emotion and passion to completely carry the book, and the relationship between the three main characters feels genuine and authentic. But there is a thread of extremely well done suspense in there also. At one point I was so anxious about the outcome of a particular event that I actually had to get up and walk away. Excellent read! It looks the author mostly writes MM romance which is not my chosen genre, and I am really disappointed. I’ll be checking out her booklist to just what she has available. Highly recommend!
Master of No One is the first book in the Masters of Their Domain series by Tricia Owens. It is a MMF Paranormal Romance that really brings on the heat. Aleksander, Constance and Kirk have chemistry. The story here keeps your attention. It has drama, suspense, sweetness, heat and some surprises..... it is well written and original. I can't wait to see what rest of the series will bring.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
Good fantasy has its own logic, even if it's different from that of the real world! Bad fantasy has vague pseudo-scientific explanations to try to compensate the weakness of the plot.
The idea is good but the book is full of improbabilities and plotholes. IMO the author was only interested in the romance and used the chimera trope as a plot twister. It's a pity since the writing is good and the MCs interesting.
P.S. I hate it when people put a slim girl on the cover when Constance is supposed to be overweight :(
This book is a scorching hot MMF story was an amazing example of how it should be done. Multidimensional MCs, plenty of hotness, plenty of feels and plenty of moments when you hold your breath. The power plays between all characters were perfectly described, the emotions understandable and relatable, the plot very well developed. Very strong 4,5*
I received an ARC copy of the re-released version and am leaving a 100% honest review.
Love this read and especially that it did not follow the usual path of Kirk being subservient. I really enjoyed the inter play between Aleksander, Kirk and Constance. You could feel the turmoil Aleksander was in throughout the book. There was intrigue, awesome heat and love. Excellent read.
This was my first time reading Tricia Owens work and while I wasn’t blown away in this particular story. I was looking forward to the premise of this story. A strong male paired with a submissive and another dominant. I love the push/pull this dichotomy can bring to a story. I will admit that I usually see this after the characters have a chance to work out the kinks, and in Master of No One the relationship is new all around. It appeared that at times Ms. Owenswas unclear in her focus of her characters and that translated into the story. Take Aleksander for instance, he was unsure and struggled with his needs and at times I wasn’t quite sure what he wanted. Was he a dominant? Was he a submissive? Was he a switch? He didn’t know and we never really got into his head as he figured it out so I ended the story still unsure. And Kirk was equally confusing. It appeared that he was just a naturally commanding figure. He was a protector and an honorable man. But human, so how was he able to dominate Aleksander? Was it really a relationship built on a dominating/submissive dynamic? At times I wondered because Aleksander and Kirk have no prior relationship so no built in trust. The only character that was easy to understand was Constance. Her need to serve was obvious from the get go. She derived pleasure from serving but that didn’t make her a pushover. She understood her needs and was trying her hardest to fulfill them, first with Aleksander and then with Kirk. I loved that she cut right through the fat and was able to articulate her understanding of Aleksander and her perception of his needs. I loved that Kirk added to the layer of our understanding of Aleksander even if it confused the issues, at least in my mind. I still think that Ms. Owens started something that could be wonderful. I will note that it appears to be a more of a happily for now instead of a happily ever after, so be warned. Overall, I liked what this story can be even as the characters confused me. I would love to see more of her work in the future. Ms. Owens penned a story that was different and I think the world she is building shows great promise. I will give her another shot if for no other reason than I have to know where she was taking us.
FourStars his story started out a little slow for me. While I understand that as a reader, we did need some background, it seemed to go on for a long time.
I enjoyed Kirk's outlook on life, but wished I knew more about his injury and his brother. His demeanor is one not of submission but of dominance, so I knew it was going to be challenging for him to ground Aleksander.
Constance is submissive to her core. Without knowing anything about her past, her character screams submission. It was so sad to see that she felt herself a failure because she was unable to give Aleksander what he needed.
The sparks between Constance and Kirk were hot. I liked their dynamic a lot. Alone, they were a good mixture of both playfulness and BDSM (power exchange). I love how protective Kirk was of Constance and how he saw her - the real her.
Aleksander is somewhat of an enigma. He was both strong, but weak at the same time. While he knew that he was a necessary part of the hierarchy, his conscience was something that I admired. And, while it took Aleksander a while to fully understand his role in the system, once he sees who his true friends are, what his purpose truly is, his character blossoms.
The mystery part of the story was somewhat unresolved so I hope that there will be a continuing story line. I did like that you were given a glimpse behind Domenic's motivations. However, I wish there were more on the relationship of the Counsel and how they fit in to the puzzle.
Overall, this was a good start, if it is indeed going to be a series. However, if the story is not going to continue, I would be disappointed.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Kirk would kill his brother if he could get his hands on him. The things one is willing to do for loved ones really knows no bounds as Kirk is proving by taking on the role of being a grounder for a Chimera. How his brother even got mixed up with these monsters he has no clue but he will do what needs to be done as long as it assures his brother Leo’s safety. When Kirk arrives on the island in Portugal he is taken aback in more ways than one. When he is greeted by Constance his instant attraction to her is something he did not expect. Neither is the appearance of the Chimera he is tasked with. What Kirk envisioned in his mind of Aleksander is far from the reality. What Aleksander brings out in him is even more baffling. When things start to look glum these three band together in ways no one, especially not Domenic of the Council, ever anticipated. Can Kirk and Constance save Aleksander from himself and those who are tying to bring him down? Will Kirk finally realize that what started out as a mission to save his brother has turned into so much more? Will Aleksander pull himself out of his self-loathing and mad scientist mode long enough to allow these humans to help him? Together these three could be a force to be reckoned with if only they learn to trust and lean on each other.
This was a four star read for me. The main character, Aleksander, is a chimera, and poisoner of other chimeras gone rogue. I am a big paranormal fan and this was a treat for me...it wasn't a vamp, angel or werewolf. Aleksander has two human "handlers", Constance, a female submissive and Kirk, a bad ass dominant cop who was injured and relegated to desk duty. He takes on all that is Aleksander because his brother failed to fulfill his obligation as Aleksander's handler. If Kirk doesn't do this, his brother Leo (when found) will be killed.
Aleksander is not a nice guy. He's bitter and sad, having to kill off old friends. Aleksander is also bit of a switch and the best parts of the book were when Kirk dominated him. Aleksander and Kirk's scenes were full of emotion and sizzle. Kirk also dominated Constance, as did Aleksander, but the menage scenes were not as interesting as Aleksander and Kirk's scenes without her.
The story fell a little flat sometimes, especially at the end when it just kind of trickled off. Glad to hear this is the first book in a series; otherwise that ending, which did not wrap up all loose ends, would have been a disappointment.
Alek is a chimera with a very specific job to do helping to deal with those who have lost control. Those in charge have sent him Kirk as a grounder which is someone to help tame those urges to lose control. Kirk has offered to be a grounder to save his brother's life and isn't quite sure what to expect. When he arrives he finds another grounder there as well. Constance has been with Alek for some time and he's done nothing more than ignore her for the most part. That all changes when Kirk comes into the picture. What they realize is that Alek needs to submit as well as dominate in order to keep his monster at bay. While they are dealing with falling for each other, they are also dealing with the fact that someone is trying to sabotage Alek's work. They have to not only fight this danger, but also fight for each other. I so enjoyed their story. This is the first in the series and I can't wait to read the next one.
Original review on Molly Lolly Four stars! This book was an enjoyable read. I liked how the relationship between Aleksander, Constance and Kirk built and evolved in the story. The way the relationship between the three comes about and ends up is very believable and doesn’t give you that weird feeling someone is being left out. So glad for that. I wasn’t expecting the reasoning behind why the poisons weren’t working, and the attacks. There are some loose ends that still need to be wrapped up at the end of the story. Also, the three are still working on building the relationship so I didn’t feel it was a full happily ever after. I’m hoping there’s a sequel coming. Plus I would love to see Michel and Domenic have a story with their own HEA, but based on how this book ends I have no idea if that’s even possible. A romantic girl can dream though.
~~ ARC provided on behalf of Obsessed by Books for an honest review ~~
This was a new book for me by this author that I have never read before. After reading Master of No One I really enjoyed reading it thought that this was a good book and a fresh new author to read in the future.
Master of No One talks about chimeras who are mythical creatures that are living among humans. Humans do know of the existance of the chimeras living around in the human world. The chimeras have their own set of rules and laws.
Aleksander is a poisoner who poisons chimeras that have lost their ways and are uncontrollable. Kirk is injured and taking care of his brother. Constance is a submissive and Kirk looks out for her.
This book was very entertaining and fun to read. Liked the BDSM elements and some of the M/M moments. Overall if you like these types of books than check out Master of No One.
This book was different then anything I've read and in a very good way. I believe this is the first book I've read that had a chimeras in it. In this one we have Aleksander who is a poisoner to keep the chimeras who are beyond help in check, but he's finding that he's losing himself. He now needs two human grounders to keep his chimera at bay, but he fights it at every turn. Kirk one of the grounders is only there for family obligation, but he soon finds it's not as bad as he pictured it and starts to care for Aleksander along with Constance the other grounder. Aleksander believes he doesn't need grounders, but can he accept that he needs Constance's submissive side and Kirk's dominate side. The bond and connection these three develop makes for an great read. Plus the suspense just adds to it. There is danger lurking can Aleksander's two grounders save him in time before it's too late?
In order to save Aleksander, Constance and Kirk will have to form a unique triad of domination and submission that goes against Aleksander's very nature in this mesmerizing paranormal romance. I have to say that this is a fascinating world with some unique elements and intriguing characters - a promising and different spin on chimeras that has certainly caught my interest and I can't wait to read the next one and see which direction the author takes this series in.
The humans in Aleksander’s home should fear for their lives, instead they push him to realize that even a cold hearted monster may be worthy of love. Recognizing herself as a true submissive, Constance puts her trust completely in Kirk to know how hard to push Aleksander. Sometimes it works, other times it backfires tremendously, but through it all I love how Kirk stands firm. The dynamic between these characters is extreme; volatile and passionate in any given scene, and I cannot wait to read more!
I had a hard time with this story. It was engaging but just as it was getting good the plot line failed me. It picked up and bounced around quite a bit too. I like the premise of the Chimera Assassin, but the author lost me several times.