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Kiss of Leather #2
Safe Limits
The men from Kiss of Leather gather together to rescue a terrified young sub. But it’s Master Derek who wants to keep him for good.
Master Gavin and his boy, Kyle, are celebrating their newly established bond when Master Josh calls requesting their help. Josh’s sub, David, needs the men to help his best friend from childhood while they’re away at a BDSM convention in San Francisco.
Corey ran away from his Master after a horrible scene, but he blames himself for everything that happened. No Master would ever want him if they were to find out what he did. Corey’s not sure if he’ll ever feel safe enough to give himself to a Master again anyway, even if all he’s ever wanted was to belong to somebody.
Master Derek agrees to watch over Corey until Josh and David return from the convention. All he needs is another pretty twink messing with his head and his heart, so the older, growly bear of a man determines to keep his distance. But when Corey wakes up screaming after a devastating nightmare, Derek is more drawn than ever to the young sub—the need to keep Corey safe from whatever or whoever has hurt him becoming his main priority.
Kyle and Corey develop a friendship when Corey assists Kyle in the dungeon furniture workshop. Kyle has his own fears—the ones that make him feel he’s broken because of the things he desires to do with Gavin. Through helping Kyle and receiving his own help via Derek, Corey decides he’s ready to let go of the demons from his past and move forward into a new life.
Now if Corey can only get Derek to believe that he’s ready—and to finally do something about it.
Reader This book contains a flashback scene of rape by multiple aggressors.
Publisher's This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.
Master Gavin and his boy, Kyle, are celebrating their newly established bond when Master Josh calls requesting their help. Josh’s sub, David, needs the men to help his best friend from childhood while they’re away at a BDSM convention in San Francisco.
Corey ran away from his Master after a horrible scene, but he blames himself for everything that happened. No Master would ever want him if they were to find out what he did. Corey’s not sure if he’ll ever feel safe enough to give himself to a Master again anyway, even if all he’s ever wanted was to belong to somebody.
Master Derek agrees to watch over Corey until Josh and David return from the convention. All he needs is another pretty twink messing with his head and his heart, so the older, growly bear of a man determines to keep his distance. But when Corey wakes up screaming after a devastating nightmare, Derek is more drawn than ever to the young sub—the need to keep Corey safe from whatever or whoever has hurt him becoming his main priority.
Kyle and Corey develop a friendship when Corey assists Kyle in the dungeon furniture workshop. Kyle has his own fears—the ones that make him feel he’s broken because of the things he desires to do with Gavin. Through helping Kyle and receiving his own help via Derek, Corey decides he’s ready to let go of the demons from his past and move forward into a new life.
Now if Corey can only get Derek to believe that he’s ready—and to finally do something about it.
Reader This book contains a flashback scene of rape by multiple aggressors.
Publisher's This book is best read in sequence as part of a series.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2015
30 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Morticia Knight
118 books644 followersUSA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men who explore the sweeter side of kink. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little hearts desire. Even though she’s been crafting her tales for more years than she’d like to share—her adventures as a published author began in 2011. With over 70 gay/bisexual romance books and stories available, Morticia is bound to have something for your sexy HEA reading pleasure!
Morticia resides on the North Oregon coast where the fierce winter storms, gray skies and ocean views all conspire to spark her endless imagination.
Morticia resides on the North Oregon coast where the fierce winter storms, gray skies and ocean views all conspire to spark her endless imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
April 11, 2023
I'm bad about reading series out of order and usually it isn't really a problem. But since I have read this entire series, (just haven't written all the reviews yet), I do believe that this is one that diffidently begs to be read in order since the characters and the events, bounce off of one another from book to book. The main story here is Derek and Corey's story. Having had a Dom who hurt him...actually nearly killed him...Corey struggles to trust anyone. When he meets Kyle and Gavin from the first book...he instinctively shies away. Then he sees Derek for the first time and is intimidated. Not only is Derek huge and his body language screams "I'm A DOM", but to Corey's amazement he finds that he sees Derek as beautiful, manly and over the top...gorgeous. Derek doesn’t really have time for a sub. However, he is drawn to young, pretty guys, and Corey fits all that and then some. Still, he tells himself that he doesn’t want to get involved with someone again, especially someone that is coming out of a relationship he absolutely refuses to talk about. Derek knows that whatever happened it has clearly made Corey afraid. When Corey's friends find that Derek is the only one that has a room for Corey...they leave Corey with Derek and the two now have to figure out how to navigate around each other and come to terms with...against all odds...their mutual attraction. The author, Morticia Knight has a wonderful ability to create caring, deep, characters. Not a single one of her characters is alike, and each story is different from the last. While they have some things in common, that’s what makes them all such great friends. Each one would move Heaven and Earth to help the others. Each character is so rich with individual, interesting personalities. Derek is a gentle giant who likes to work on his Harley. Corey isn’t too sure about wanting a fulltime D/s relationship, but he knows that he has grown to love Derek, and to his surprise...he's not in the least afraid of him. The insight into Derek’s past is interesting. We learn he used to wrestle, and that admits that he has anger management issues. While that might seem like a bad combo for a Dom, he’s fully in control with subs and would never hurt them. His anger stems from people taking advantage of those that are weaker and more venerable. It's a fairly short book...196 pages...but full of so much friendship and love.
December 24, 2024
This first book in this series was one of my first books involving the D/S lifestyle. I don’t know why I didn’t read any more in this series, but have read a lot of such stories since then. I found this to be a really mild story. I think I’m tired of reading about the mistreated sub and the wonderful caring Dom who saves him. I’ll check out the other books in this series at some time.
February 16, 2016
These books are okay, but there isn't anything terribly exciting or titillating about this series; it's more gooey sweet than anything else.
January 16, 2016
I’ve been a fan of Morticia Knight since reading The Hampton Road Club series, which is BDSM historical fiction. Love it. And I loved the first Kiss of Leather book as well, so when I saw this book came out, I knew I had to read it to see what happened with the club and the men involved.
Before I start the bulk of the review, I will say that this is a series you need to read in order. While the meat of the story involved Derek and Corey, and doesn’t require prior knowledge of the first book, the first chapter is about Gavin and Kyle, and it’s set immediately after the events of book one. I’d also recommend maybe going back to reread the last chapter of book one if it’s been a long time, or if you can’t remember what happened with those boys. That said, once Corey is safely deposited with Derek, they are the focus of the story, but in order to get there, Kyle and Gavin need to be present.
Corey is a friend of David, and when he gets into trouble, he calls David for help. Of course, David will do anything to help his friend, so, being out of town himself, he enlists the other people he trusts—Gavin, Kyle, and Derek—to help Corey out until he and his Master, Josh, get back. Having had a Dom who hurt him, Corey struggles to trust anyone. He shies away from Kyle and Gavin, and when he sees Derek for the first time, he’s intimidated. Not only is Derek huge and his body language screams Dom, but to Corey he’s gorgeous.
Derek doesn’t really have time for a sub. He’s drawn to young, pretty twinks, and Corey is all that and more. But he doesn’t want to get involved with someone again, especially not when that person is coming out of a relationship he refuses to talk about. One that has clearly left him afraid. Derek doesn’t even know if the man wants another relationship with a Dom and not having BDSM in his life is a deal breaker for him. When Gavin and Kyle leave Corey with him, the two have to figure out how to navigate around each other, and come to terms with their mutual attraction.
What I love most about Morticia Knight is her ability to create such deep characters. Not one of her characters is alike, and each story is different from the last. While they might have some things in common, that’s what makes them great friends rather than too similar to be interesting. Derek is a gentle giant who likes to work on his Harley. Corey isn’t too sure about wanting a fulltime D/s relationship, unlike Kyle and David, and he loves how big, hairy, and protective Derek is. The insight into Derek’s past is interesting. Readers learn he used to wrestle, and that he has anger management issues. While that might seem like a bad combo for a Dom, he’s fully in control with subs, and his anger stems from people taking advantage of others.
If you’re a fan of Ms. Knight’s writing, I recommend this series, especially if you like her Hampton Road Club books. I eagerly await the next installment! I’m hoping for Marshall, since he was conspicuously absent from this book. Fingers crossed!
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
Before I start the bulk of the review, I will say that this is a series you need to read in order. While the meat of the story involved Derek and Corey, and doesn’t require prior knowledge of the first book, the first chapter is about Gavin and Kyle, and it’s set immediately after the events of book one. I’d also recommend maybe going back to reread the last chapter of book one if it’s been a long time, or if you can’t remember what happened with those boys. That said, once Corey is safely deposited with Derek, they are the focus of the story, but in order to get there, Kyle and Gavin need to be present.
Corey is a friend of David, and when he gets into trouble, he calls David for help. Of course, David will do anything to help his friend, so, being out of town himself, he enlists the other people he trusts—Gavin, Kyle, and Derek—to help Corey out until he and his Master, Josh, get back. Having had a Dom who hurt him, Corey struggles to trust anyone. He shies away from Kyle and Gavin, and when he sees Derek for the first time, he’s intimidated. Not only is Derek huge and his body language screams Dom, but to Corey he’s gorgeous.
Derek doesn’t really have time for a sub. He’s drawn to young, pretty twinks, and Corey is all that and more. But he doesn’t want to get involved with someone again, especially not when that person is coming out of a relationship he refuses to talk about. One that has clearly left him afraid. Derek doesn’t even know if the man wants another relationship with a Dom and not having BDSM in his life is a deal breaker for him. When Gavin and Kyle leave Corey with him, the two have to figure out how to navigate around each other, and come to terms with their mutual attraction.
What I love most about Morticia Knight is her ability to create such deep characters. Not one of her characters is alike, and each story is different from the last. While they might have some things in common, that’s what makes them great friends rather than too similar to be interesting. Derek is a gentle giant who likes to work on his Harley. Corey isn’t too sure about wanting a fulltime D/s relationship, unlike Kyle and David, and he loves how big, hairy, and protective Derek is. The insight into Derek’s past is interesting. Readers learn he used to wrestle, and that he has anger management issues. While that might seem like a bad combo for a Dom, he’s fully in control with subs, and his anger stems from people taking advantage of others.
If you’re a fan of Ms. Knight’s writing, I recommend this series, especially if you like her Hampton Road Club books. I eagerly await the next installment! I’m hoping for Marshall, since he was conspicuously absent from this book. Fingers crossed!
Reviewed by Jennifer for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
December 21, 2015
The last thing Derek wants is another Sub, maybe ever, after the last one tore a hole in Derek’s hard exterior when he walked out. So naturally, Derek is less than pleased when Josh and David ask him to let one of David's oldest friends, Corey, stay with him for a few days. Corey has recently fled a very bad situation where he was under the thumb of an abuser masquerading as a Dom. He is young, slightly naive, skittish and his views on the BDSM world and lifestyle have now been warped by his abuser. There is a spark between the two men straight away, but Derek keeps telling himself no, another Sub is the last thing he needs, especially a broken one. As well, Corey is far from ready to wear a collar again. As the story progress', you learn that both men are broken in a way and by being all but forced to spend time together, they just might help each other heal.
Not to sound like a broken record, but I don't really care too much for BDSM type stories. That being said, I absolutely love this series. What draws me into these stories particularly is how the author goes in depth and explains the aspects of the lifestyle, why the two people in the relationship feel the way they do, and it is not all about pain. I can recognize there are people that crave the pain, the pleasure their mind, body and soul derive from it. What I can't recognize is when it's delivered in the way Corey's former Dom gave it, when someone says I love you so I'm going to hurt you. Yeah, no, not so much.
Derek is like this gentle giant. At first the way he speaks, the volume, and the way he carries himself, slightly menacing, freaks Corey out. It doesn't take long for Derek to realize and adjust his tone and body language for Corey. I loved the internal struggle that both men were at war with. Derek, constantly telling himself to keep Corey at arm’s length. Corey's inner voice stuck on replay, all Doms are bad. As they spend more time together they learn they have so much more in common than just the need to live the lifestyle and the romance slowly blooms. By the end, Derek is determined to not only love Corey the way he deserves to be loved, he wants to cherish and protect him. Their relationship really becomes something beautiful.
My only complaint was I wanted to read a paragraph where Derek beats the ever loving crap out of Tony, Corey's former "master" which couldn't be a more fitting term. The man wanted a slave he could use and abuse, not a partner. Hopefully, that will be something we (readers) get to enjoy in a later story. If you like books about BDSM, or books that are passionate, slow building love stories and cute little twinks riding on the back of the bear's Harley, you will like this one. Heck even if you don't normally like BDSM I think you'll really like this series. It is a series that must be read in order though, each book a continuation. So if you haven't read Building Bonds please start there.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Not to sound like a broken record, but I don't really care too much for BDSM type stories. That being said, I absolutely love this series. What draws me into these stories particularly is how the author goes in depth and explains the aspects of the lifestyle, why the two people in the relationship feel the way they do, and it is not all about pain. I can recognize there are people that crave the pain, the pleasure their mind, body and soul derive from it. What I can't recognize is when it's delivered in the way Corey's former Dom gave it, when someone says I love you so I'm going to hurt you. Yeah, no, not so much.
Derek is like this gentle giant. At first the way he speaks, the volume, and the way he carries himself, slightly menacing, freaks Corey out. It doesn't take long for Derek to realize and adjust his tone and body language for Corey. I loved the internal struggle that both men were at war with. Derek, constantly telling himself to keep Corey at arm’s length. Corey's inner voice stuck on replay, all Doms are bad. As they spend more time together they learn they have so much more in common than just the need to live the lifestyle and the romance slowly blooms. By the end, Derek is determined to not only love Corey the way he deserves to be loved, he wants to cherish and protect him. Their relationship really becomes something beautiful.
My only complaint was I wanted to read a paragraph where Derek beats the ever loving crap out of Tony, Corey's former "master" which couldn't be a more fitting term. The man wanted a slave he could use and abuse, not a partner. Hopefully, that will be something we (readers) get to enjoy in a later story. If you like books about BDSM, or books that are passionate, slow building love stories and cute little twinks riding on the back of the bear's Harley, you will like this one. Heck even if you don't normally like BDSM I think you'll really like this series. It is a series that must be read in order though, each book a continuation. So if you haven't read Building Bonds please start there.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
January 1, 2023
Considering how very much I enjoyed the first book in Morticia Knight's 'Kiss of Leather' series, it should come as no surprise that I was really looking forward to the next installment. 'Safe Limits' not only introduced me to two new characters, Derek and Corey, but I got the opportunity to spend a little more time with Gavin and Kyle, and see how Kyle was doing with his transition to a lifestyle sub.
Corey tugged at my heartstrings right from the beginning. I didn't adore him the way I had Kyle, but he brought out protective instincts which quickly changed to loving him. Corey had a rough childhood, and the only person he really trusts is David, Master Josh's sub. Corey and David have been friends since childhood, so when Corey calls David, tells him the situation, and swears him to secrecy, David helps find him a place to stay until David and Josh are back in town. With Gavin and Kyle leaving for a few days to explore the new intensity of their bond, this leaves Master Derek.
"All Derek seemed to attract were whiny, self-involved brats. He was over it."
Derek is happy to help, but the last thing he wants is some young, gorgeous twink in his home. Derek hasn't exactly had the best of luck with subs, in fact the last one left him claiming it was too boring being with Derek. Ouch. But, if nothing else, Derek, Josh, and Gavin will do anything to help the other, so Derek is determined to make it through a few days. He's not looking forward to it, though, because he knows how he comes across - a dominant bear, with a deep voice, and a past history as a pro wrestler - and Derek is well aware that many people are scared of him, at least at first.
"A well of emotion rose up and he tried to swallow it down. As tear after tear escaped his eyes and rolled silently down his cheeks, it was clearer to him than ever that belonging wasn’t simply the most important thing to him. It was the only thing."
When Corey finally revealed what he'd suffered at the hands of his ex-Dom, it was very apparent that the man wasn't a Dom at all, just a sick individual who liked to use the idea of BDSM to force his sub to participate in activities the sub didn't want and tried to safeword. Derek is incensed and needs to discuss this with Gavin and Josh. Not to mention, he and Corey need to change the pace at which to proceed in order to have the long lasting relationship they both feel is possible.
Oh, I so loved this installment. Watching Derek and Corey find their way together was wonderful, but seeing Corey be able to help Kyle was amazing. It was magnificent having all the characters back together and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you, Morticia!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
Corey tugged at my heartstrings right from the beginning. I didn't adore him the way I had Kyle, but he brought out protective instincts which quickly changed to loving him. Corey had a rough childhood, and the only person he really trusts is David, Master Josh's sub. Corey and David have been friends since childhood, so when Corey calls David, tells him the situation, and swears him to secrecy, David helps find him a place to stay until David and Josh are back in town. With Gavin and Kyle leaving for a few days to explore the new intensity of their bond, this leaves Master Derek.
"All Derek seemed to attract were whiny, self-involved brats. He was over it."
Derek is happy to help, but the last thing he wants is some young, gorgeous twink in his home. Derek hasn't exactly had the best of luck with subs, in fact the last one left him claiming it was too boring being with Derek. Ouch. But, if nothing else, Derek, Josh, and Gavin will do anything to help the other, so Derek is determined to make it through a few days. He's not looking forward to it, though, because he knows how he comes across - a dominant bear, with a deep voice, and a past history as a pro wrestler - and Derek is well aware that many people are scared of him, at least at first.
"A well of emotion rose up and he tried to swallow it down. As tear after tear escaped his eyes and rolled silently down his cheeks, it was clearer to him than ever that belonging wasn’t simply the most important thing to him. It was the only thing."
When Corey finally revealed what he'd suffered at the hands of his ex-Dom, it was very apparent that the man wasn't a Dom at all, just a sick individual who liked to use the idea of BDSM to force his sub to participate in activities the sub didn't want and tried to safeword. Derek is incensed and needs to discuss this with Gavin and Josh. Not to mention, he and Corey need to change the pace at which to proceed in order to have the long lasting relationship they both feel is possible.
Oh, I so loved this installment. Watching Derek and Corey find their way together was wonderful, but seeing Corey be able to help Kyle was amazing. It was magnificent having all the characters back together and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you, Morticia!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
November 24, 2015
Safe Limits (Kiss of Leather #2) by Morticia Knight
4 stars
M/M power control, romance, slight BDSM
Trigger: Flashback rape scene
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
This book follows the previous story, so I would recommend reading the first book before reading this. While it's not entirely necessary, the characters are building on each other and it helps the reader track.
Corey is slightly skittish when it comes to meeting new people, especially Doms. However, because of a previous relationship, he reaches out to his best friend/brother when he finds himself living on the streets with nowhere to go. I really wish that we would have seen more of Corey with David, but I do realize that this was Corey and Derek's story.
I like how Corey's evolution from mistrust to trust is not instantaneous, however, I do wish that even though we are given a glimpse of what happened to him, we knew more about the back story.
You then have Master Derek. He seems intimidating, but recognizes his soul's other half in this frightened sub, Corey. I like how we were able to see him change in order to make Corey more comfortable, we were able to see that he was willing to do what it took in order to earn Corey's trust.
I really enjoyed watching the friendship between Kyle and Corey build and despite Corey's past, his willingness to help his new friend.
While this book is great at building the trust and relationship, is only has very limited BDSM and it is not really between the main characters.
Overall, this was a great way to introduce people to the world of BDSM - it's not heavy, but it does show that a responsible relationship has give and take, rules that are talked about and a deep respect for each other.
4 stars
M/M power control, romance, slight BDSM
Trigger: Flashback rape scene
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
This book follows the previous story, so I would recommend reading the first book before reading this. While it's not entirely necessary, the characters are building on each other and it helps the reader track.
Corey is slightly skittish when it comes to meeting new people, especially Doms. However, because of a previous relationship, he reaches out to his best friend/brother when he finds himself living on the streets with nowhere to go. I really wish that we would have seen more of Corey with David, but I do realize that this was Corey and Derek's story.
I like how Corey's evolution from mistrust to trust is not instantaneous, however, I do wish that even though we are given a glimpse of what happened to him, we knew more about the back story.
You then have Master Derek. He seems intimidating, but recognizes his soul's other half in this frightened sub, Corey. I like how we were able to see him change in order to make Corey more comfortable, we were able to see that he was willing to do what it took in order to earn Corey's trust.
I really enjoyed watching the friendship between Kyle and Corey build and despite Corey's past, his willingness to help his new friend.
While this book is great at building the trust and relationship, is only has very limited BDSM and it is not really between the main characters.
Overall, this was a great way to introduce people to the world of BDSM - it's not heavy, but it does show that a responsible relationship has give and take, rules that are talked about and a deep respect for each other.
January 21, 2016
THIS. WAS. PERFECT.
JUST SO SO SO GOOD.
I already loved Building Bonds, the first installment, but Safe Limits exceeded my expectations. Bear types are not my biggest kink but I thoroughly enjoyed Derek's character; he's such a big, grumpy sweetheart. His voice was highly enjoyable; so much fun!
And then there was Corey, sweet, sweet boy! But so afraid after being abused by his previous and first dom. I loved Corey so much! He's such a fresh spirit but struggles with his fears until Derek eases away all his pain and replaces it with love. *sigh*
Loved their age gap and how they're not into the whole full time D/s relationship. I'm dying to see them again!!
I really, really enjoyed reading this installment. Loved seeing Kyle and Gavin again and meeting Derek and Corey was definitely a highlight of my week.
Thank you for the boys!
Mortica, you write as if you knew me. Heh. :)
Can't wait to see what happens next.
JUST SO SO SO GOOD.
I already loved Building Bonds, the first installment, but Safe Limits exceeded my expectations. Bear types are not my biggest kink but I thoroughly enjoyed Derek's character; he's such a big, grumpy sweetheart. His voice was highly enjoyable; so much fun!
And then there was Corey, sweet, sweet boy! But so afraid after being abused by his previous and first dom. I loved Corey so much! He's such a fresh spirit but struggles with his fears until Derek eases away all his pain and replaces it with love. *sigh*
Loved their age gap and how they're not into the whole full time D/s relationship. I'm dying to see them again!!
I really, really enjoyed reading this installment. Loved seeing Kyle and Gavin again and meeting Derek and Corey was definitely a highlight of my week.
Thank you for the boys!
Mortica, you write as if you knew me. Heh. :)
Can't wait to see what happens next.
November 25, 2015
This book was a good addition to this series!
With this book you get a little more of Gavin and Kyle from the previous book along with Gavin's business partner Derek and a new character Corey who has run away from his master after a very horrible scene. I want to say what this man Corey's previous master did to him was so horrible I felt so bad for him. He is skittish when he is around Derek and Gavin because they both are DOM's so you can't really blame him after what happened to him before.
This book was a slow burn while Corey and works through what happened to him. I honestly not sure what I feel about Derek and Corey together because it was such a slow burn to me I did not really see much of them together at all. So I loved the way this author wrote these characters and this story. I am just unsure on how I feel about Derek and Corey together right now.
So all together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
With this book you get a little more of Gavin and Kyle from the previous book along with Gavin's business partner Derek and a new character Corey who has run away from his master after a very horrible scene. I want to say what this man Corey's previous master did to him was so horrible I felt so bad for him. He is skittish when he is around Derek and Gavin because they both are DOM's so you can't really blame him after what happened to him before.
This book was a slow burn while Corey and works through what happened to him. I honestly not sure what I feel about Derek and Corey together because it was such a slow burn to me I did not really see much of them together at all. So I loved the way this author wrote these characters and this story. I am just unsure on how I feel about Derek and Corey together right now.
So all together I really liked this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
December 27, 2015
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the second in the series and would be better appreciated if read after book 1. It was an excellent read, so I would recommend you start there anyway!
As two of the Masters of Kiss of Leather now have submissives, Master Derek is the odd one out. He however is not interested when he is asked to look after young Corey. The reader is not convinced by his dismissing of the idea, and the author agrees - giving us a delightful tale of two men coming to see what is right in front of their faces. Beautifully done, and so steeped in passion, care and love, that the reader cannot help but be delighted at the eventual outcome. Some lovely humour through the book makes this a very enjoyable read.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next
This is the second in the series and would be better appreciated if read after book 1. It was an excellent read, so I would recommend you start there anyway!
As two of the Masters of Kiss of Leather now have submissives, Master Derek is the odd one out. He however is not interested when he is asked to look after young Corey. The reader is not convinced by his dismissing of the idea, and the author agrees - giving us a delightful tale of two men coming to see what is right in front of their faces. Beautifully done, and so steeped in passion, care and love, that the reader cannot help but be delighted at the eventual outcome. Some lovely humour through the book makes this a very enjoyable read.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next
December 23, 2015
~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads Review Team~
5 stars for this M/M Romance
This story picks right up where Building Bonds left off. The blurb tells you the basics of the story but what it doesn’t tell you is how wonderful to Corey Derek is. Derek sees something right away in Corey and knows he has to be very careful in aspect, speech, touch, and reactions. Just as with Kyle in the first book, Corey has innocence to him that you can’t help but love. Another great book and I can’t wait to see what is next in this series.
5 stars for this M/M Romance
This story picks right up where Building Bonds left off. The blurb tells you the basics of the story but what it doesn’t tell you is how wonderful to Corey Derek is. Derek sees something right away in Corey and knows he has to be very careful in aspect, speech, touch, and reactions. Just as with Kyle in the first book, Corey has innocence to him that you can’t help but love. Another great book and I can’t wait to see what is next in this series.
October 8, 2016
Abrupt ending but it looks like their story continues a little in the next book. I wouldn't really classify this as BDSM, it's pretty candy coated but still a good story.
October 20, 2018
You can find my review of “Safe Limits” at my web site.
March 5, 2024
Safe Limits is the second book in the ‘Kiss of Leather’ series. It stars Corey, a sub, and Derek, a dom. This is told in third person from Corey and Derek’s povs, but it also includes the first chapter told from Kyle’s pov who starred in Book One.
I haven’t read the first book in this series yet. I don’t think it’s necessary to read the first book, but it was confusing when the story started with Kyle and Master Gavin. I didn’t understand why they started the story when it wasn’t about them. It’s like their story wasn’t finished from the first book so the author decided to add more about them in this one. Kyle and Gavin however were helpful in picking up Corey and driving him to Derek’s home.
The blurb does a good job explaining the plot so I won’t go over it much. I want to give a warning that there is a description of Corey’s sexual abuse by his ex-master and others at his old BDSM club. The memory appears as a dream at the start of Chapter Eight and is written in italics, so if that is something that is a trigger for you, then skip past the italicized parts and it’ll be Derek waking Corey from the dream.
I consider this story to be more about Corey’s recovery from his trauma, and the growing relationship between Derek and Corey. So, it’s more about romance than BDSM, although there is some of that in the story. Both Derek and Corey tend to be impulsive when it comes to finding a partner. They both tend to pick men that aren’t right for them because they don’t take their time to learn about the other person to see if they could be a good fit. This time they go slow, even though they are immediately attracted to each other. At first, Corey is scared because Derek is large and dominating. Derek doesn’t want to fall into hooking up with another cute sub because he feels protective. Then both end up trying to resist the attraction. Corey because he wants to be sure he’s healed, and Derek because he wants to be sure Corey is healed. The author did a good job of creating distinct personalities for both men.
I liked that the author incorporated having Corey attend therapy sessions to work out his trauma. Derek had suggested it. It made sense because BDSM wasn’t going to solve Corey’s past sexual abuse, nor was having sex. He had to work through the abuse so he would stop blaming himself.
Even though I didn’t read the first book; I could follow along. I’ll probably go back and read the first story to find out how Kyle and Gavin got together. Safe Limits is more of a light romance even though Corey went through a traumatic experience, which is mostly relayed through a dream and later when he tells Derek about it. I liked the plot and the characters and give this book, 4 Stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I haven’t read the first book in this series yet. I don’t think it’s necessary to read the first book, but it was confusing when the story started with Kyle and Master Gavin. I didn’t understand why they started the story when it wasn’t about them. It’s like their story wasn’t finished from the first book so the author decided to add more about them in this one. Kyle and Gavin however were helpful in picking up Corey and driving him to Derek’s home.
The blurb does a good job explaining the plot so I won’t go over it much. I want to give a warning that there is a description of Corey’s sexual abuse by his ex-master and others at his old BDSM club. The memory appears as a dream at the start of Chapter Eight and is written in italics, so if that is something that is a trigger for you, then skip past the italicized parts and it’ll be Derek waking Corey from the dream.
I consider this story to be more about Corey’s recovery from his trauma, and the growing relationship between Derek and Corey. So, it’s more about romance than BDSM, although there is some of that in the story. Both Derek and Corey tend to be impulsive when it comes to finding a partner. They both tend to pick men that aren’t right for them because they don’t take their time to learn about the other person to see if they could be a good fit. This time they go slow, even though they are immediately attracted to each other. At first, Corey is scared because Derek is large and dominating. Derek doesn’t want to fall into hooking up with another cute sub because he feels protective. Then both end up trying to resist the attraction. Corey because he wants to be sure he’s healed, and Derek because he wants to be sure Corey is healed. The author did a good job of creating distinct personalities for both men.
I liked that the author incorporated having Corey attend therapy sessions to work out his trauma. Derek had suggested it. It made sense because BDSM wasn’t going to solve Corey’s past sexual abuse, nor was having sex. He had to work through the abuse so he would stop blaming himself.
Even though I didn’t read the first book; I could follow along. I’ll probably go back and read the first story to find out how Kyle and Gavin got together. Safe Limits is more of a light romance even though Corey went through a traumatic experience, which is mostly relayed through a dream and later when he tells Derek about it. I liked the plot and the characters and give this book, 4 Stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 24, 2018
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Book two in the Kiss of Leather series and I strongly recommend you read book one, Building Bonds, first. Master Gavin and Kyle's relationship continues in this book.
Master Derek agrees to watch over David's best friend, Corey, while Master Josh and David are away. Faced with the young man, Master Derek can't help but soften his natural growlly voice; Corey is scared, and when Master Derek finds out WHY?? Oh my days! Protective instincts abound! Corey needs to know: whatever HE did, he did not deserve what happened to him.
Again, Master Derek and Corey's relationship moves rapidly, far more so that I was expecting, especially when the truth about what Corey ran from becomes clear. Master Derek needs to temper his natural bear-ness, although Corey does has a thing for a bear! It doesn't take long for these two to admit their feelings, though and I rather enjoyed being made to wait for them to consummate their relationship.
Also enjoying again, the EMOTIONS involved! Corey is, by his own admission, a bit of a mess and it takes all of Master Derek's experience as a Master to bring out just what Corey is feeling. I think the event that bought Corey to Master Derek might run on into future books.
Things are progressing at the club, although still not yet open!
Loving these books so far. Loved this one a bit more than book one! Quite a bit more! I hope they are all up to this standard. Trying NOT to read them back to back though! Loving that ALL the guys seem to be taking a part in these books.
This one carries a darker story line, and some readers may find it difficult reading.
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Book two in the Kiss of Leather series and I strongly recommend you read book one, Building Bonds, first. Master Gavin and Kyle's relationship continues in this book.
Master Derek agrees to watch over David's best friend, Corey, while Master Josh and David are away. Faced with the young man, Master Derek can't help but soften his natural growlly voice; Corey is scared, and when Master Derek finds out WHY?? Oh my days! Protective instincts abound! Corey needs to know: whatever HE did, he did not deserve what happened to him.
Again, Master Derek and Corey's relationship moves rapidly, far more so that I was expecting, especially when the truth about what Corey ran from becomes clear. Master Derek needs to temper his natural bear-ness, although Corey does has a thing for a bear! It doesn't take long for these two to admit their feelings, though and I rather enjoyed being made to wait for them to consummate their relationship.
Also enjoying again, the EMOTIONS involved! Corey is, by his own admission, a bit of a mess and it takes all of Master Derek's experience as a Master to bring out just what Corey is feeling. I think the event that bought Corey to Master Derek might run on into future books.
Things are progressing at the club, although still not yet open!
Loving these books so far. Loved this one a bit more than book one! Quite a bit more! I hope they are all up to this standard. Trying NOT to read them back to back though! Loving that ALL the guys seem to be taking a part in these books.
This one carries a darker story line, and some readers may find it difficult reading.
5 full stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
March 14, 2024
Derek is a good friend so he agrees to help out a young man in need of a safe place. It’s only for a weekend or is it? Corey has had a hard time of it and just needs a safe place while he’s getting back on his feet. He will stay with Derek because his friend David says Derek is a good guy. David has no intention of getting involved with a guy like Derek after what he has survived but can he overcome past to find his future?
Corey’s backstory was heartbreaking. The author chose to roll out his story very slowly and the final reveal of what happened to him was so sad. The fact that anyone could be so cruel to another person is horrible to consider. Corey learning to trust Derek was believable even if it was very fast. The author made a good choice letting Corey find a way to fit into the group of friends and find meaningful work. Derek has so many fears about trying to form a new relationship. The author did a good job showing how he decides to trust his gut and love Corey. They are a good couple and I enjoyed their journey.
I was confused that the first 15 percent of the story was about David and Josh. It felt like something that should have been at the end of their story. I felt like Corey had so much backstory that the author needed to focus on that.
This is a contemporary younger man/older man romance. There is a lot of adult activity in the story. It takes place in Los Angeles. It is the second book in the series. I will read more from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Corey’s backstory was heartbreaking. The author chose to roll out his story very slowly and the final reveal of what happened to him was so sad. The fact that anyone could be so cruel to another person is horrible to consider. Corey learning to trust Derek was believable even if it was very fast. The author made a good choice letting Corey find a way to fit into the group of friends and find meaningful work. Derek has so many fears about trying to form a new relationship. The author did a good job showing how he decides to trust his gut and love Corey. They are a good couple and I enjoyed their journey.
I was confused that the first 15 percent of the story was about David and Josh. It felt like something that should have been at the end of their story. I felt like Corey had so much backstory that the author needed to focus on that.
This is a contemporary younger man/older man romance. There is a lot of adult activity in the story. It takes place in Los Angeles. It is the second book in the series. I will read more from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 10, 2024
This is book 2 in the Kiss of Leather series but the first one that I have read in this series. I was able to enjoy it without having read the first book. This is the story of Derek and Corey. Derek is a bear of a man with a big, kind heart. He has been working like mad trying to get their new club finished and opened. Corey ends up calling his 'brother" for help when things go bad in his life. Unfortunately his brother is out of town and arranges for Corey to stay with Derek until he returns. Initially Derek is upset because Corey is throwing his plans out of whack. But then he learns what Corey has gone through and his protective instincts come out in full force. This is their story. It is well written and easy to read. It is nice to see how gentle and supportive Derek is to Corey. They both deserve their happy ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 12, 2024
Satisfyingly good story. Corey, is good friends with David whom he considers a brother. Corey has a bad experience and is in dire straights and needs help. Derek, one of the owners is available to let Corey stay with him while Josh and David are at a convention. Derek, has his own relationship baggage that interferes with him finding a new boy. He has anger issues which he is working on controlling. He recognizes Corey has past trauma that is still causing him problems and struggles to handle him with gentle patience. Corey and Derek are the more likeable characters in the series so far. The author has created a compassionate, caring, centered mature couple that have extreme trauma to work through. Good story, you are totally drawn into their story and feel their passion while adoring Corey and Derek. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 23, 2024
So it starts off with a couple of chapters of Gavin and Kyle before we get to Derek and Corey. These are not stand alones so you HAVE to read Building Bonds first. Safe Limits is a little more intense emotionally with less on page play. I was devastated by Corey's story. I just can't imagine going through something like that. My heart breaks for him but Derek was PERFECT in his reaction and the care he took with Corey. There is also a continued arc about Kyle and Gavin that pops up every now and then. Amazing. Corey's problem has not been absolved completely so it's expected that it will have more of that in Marshall's book. I'm excited to see how Tony gets his Karma. This series has my complete attention right now.
March 9, 2024
Derek, who typically gravitates towards young, attractive individuals, finds himself drawn to Corey despite his reluctance to engage in another relationship, especially with someone recovering from a traumatic past. Unsure if Corey desires another Dom-sub relationship, Derek is hesitant to pursue anything further, especially considering Corey's evident fear stemming from his previous relationship.
As Gavin and Kyle leave Corey in Derek's care, the two men must navigate their mutual attraction while also addressing Corey's trust issues and Derek's reservations about entering a new relationship.
As Gavin and Kyle leave Corey in Derek's care, the two men must navigate their mutual attraction while also addressing Corey's trust issues and Derek's reservations about entering a new relationship.
March 24, 2017
I started this book right after finishing the first part of this series. I like the change of pace and the different viewpoint, but all in all, it was a bit too focused on the personal emotions of the main characters. This is definitely a subjective thing and should not stop anyone from giving it a try! I'm just not that much of a sappy person, so I kinda breezed through it and hoped for a little more plot that never quite came. The storyline and characters are just as well-drawn as in book number one, you get a just as good insight into their minds and lifes, but nice and calm was never my thing. Four out of five because of the lack of progression in the plot, otherwise a very good read!
October 1, 2017
The author has taken an interesting approach to this series. While each book does focus on a primary set of characters, their story continues and sometimes features strongly in at least one other book in the series. That means that I got to spend some extra time with Kyle and his Master Gavin in this book (such a hardship, but I suffered for the cause – kidding, they are my favorites!), but didn’t get as much of Corey and Derek to satisfy my curiosity. I really enjoy watching how two very different people find that their wants and needs mesh, that they fit, and then wounds begin to heal.
March 11, 2024
I started reading the book with some expectations and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed. I haven't read the first book in the series at the time I started reading this part which made me a bit confused, but that's all my fault, and at the end it didn't really hinder my enjoyment of the book. By the summary I expected some more hurt/ comfort, but I'm also not mad at how the story went.
In general, it was a quick, enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In general, it was a quick, enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 6, 2024
This book starts out returning to Kyle and Master Gavin's story. It transitions into Corey's, an abused sub, and his life entwining with Gavin's friend and Club co-owner, Master Derek. Derek is a big bear of a man and not too happy about getting attached to a sub, especially a gorgeous, tiny twink of one. Corey is so timid and fragile, he jumps at everything. It's lovely as they adjust and fall in love, gently taking their time and building trust. It's a slow burn romance for them. I received a copy of this book through Booksprout and this is my voluntary opinion.
March 3, 2024
We all want to connect with someone. Someone who understands us, listens to us, loves us. Corey had such high hopes but picked the wrong someone. He broke my heart. But I love that experience taught him what he really wanted and that he was worth it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 8, 2024
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I like how Derek allows Corey to grow comfortable with him at his pace. The attraction between them helps as well as Corey talking to others in the lifestyle. Corey regains his confidence and trust. Corey and Derek are in love and will play together safely. I hope Corey's ex gets the punishment he deserves.
March 9, 2024
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. For me it started out extremely slow and I had a hard time connecting because of the drag. It's definitely not a bad book. I guess it's just a personal preference. And that's coming from somebody that loves BDSM.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 2, 2017
I have been trying to thin out the TBR pile on my Kindle account. This one was lingering there. It was a bit of instant love... but I like the fact Derek refused to move forward with a relationship until Corey sought help from a mental health professional and was more stable emotionally.
January 6, 2019
I am such a sucker for the damaged abused sub storyline. We have this in spades. Corey seemed desperate to belong to someone and I was impressed that Derek made him go to therapy so it was okay and I enjoyed it. Will I continue the series? Maybe. We'll see.
March 7, 2024
YES!!!! Awesome read. Passion and steamy scenes left me needing a cold shower. Intense, crazy good five star story. Don't hesitate to read this. It was smoking hot.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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