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Finding Elliott
Tom and Drew have a nice little thing going -- Drew gets discipline and Tom gets to work over a brat with a bad attitude. It's cool, casual, no complications.
And then Tom finds Elliott, an inexperienced submissive in a bad situation, and he has to step in. But Elliott has been traumatised by his last (and first) Dom, and Tom's not certain he has what it takes to give Elliott what he needs. But both Elliott and Drew seem convinced Tom's the only one who can.
Suddenly uncomplicated isn't an option any more. Tom can't abandon Elliott, but he won't give up Drew either.
There's really only one way for everyone to get what they want.
(38,000 words, MMM BDSM Menage, no cheating)
And then Tom finds Elliott, an inexperienced submissive in a bad situation, and he has to step in. But Elliott has been traumatised by his last (and first) Dom, and Tom's not certain he has what it takes to give Elliott what he needs. But both Elliott and Drew seem convinced Tom's the only one who can.
Suddenly uncomplicated isn't an option any more. Tom can't abandon Elliott, but he won't give up Drew either.
There's really only one way for everyone to get what they want.
(38,000 words, MMM BDSM Menage, no cheating)
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2017
38 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 5, 2023
4.5/5
So there you (Tom) are, having a pleasant evening at your local kink club, when you happen across a textbook abusive dom doing the kinds of things that abusers of all stripes do, and what do you know, after a brief exchange the abusive dom basically throws his sub (Elliott) at you. And now you've got a whole plateful of traumatized sub on your hands. Plus, how is your regular sub (Drew) going to feel about the situation?
Well, this is an R.J. Moray book, so rest assured that (1) all ends well; (2) the sex is so hot as to make your fuel bill redundant this winter. Every time I review another RJM book I'm compelled to express my appreciation for her clear -- well, not "message," exactly; her books aren't didactic -- view that there is no "right" way to do BDSM as long as consent and mutual respect are part of the picture. Something I really like here is that Elliott, having taken his view of BDSM from his abuser, spends a long time believing that Tom is a shitty dom and Drew is a shitty sub. Why, Drew doesn't call Tom Master and fall to his knees every time Tom enters the room! HOW DARE.
And Tom isn't an all-knowing, perfect Domly Dom who does everything in a Domly Manner: he's at a loss for how to help Elliott begin to believe in himself and learn that being a sub and being a human with choices aren't, and shouldn't be, mutually exclusive.
Drew is kind of a darling. Initially hesitant and afraid that Elliott will displace him in Tom's life, he winds up as a loving friend to Elliott. In the process he learns a thing or two about his own desires, and if you want to point and laugh and say, "Ha! I just knew it!" I will not stop you.
I want to take issue with another review, in which the reviewer is indignant because Tom doesn't call the cops and we don't see Elliott in therapy. Lord above, cishet women scarcely dare report being raped; I shudder to think about how the police anywhere would behave toward a queer submissive masochist.
As for therapy, oof. I live in NYC, and even here it was a job of work to find a kink-friendly therapist who had openings and with whom I felt an affinity. I can just imagine how helpful it would have been to Elliott had a therapist identified BDSM as the source of his problems. Look, the whole reason I'm giving this book 4.5 stars rather than 5 is that Elliott's recovery could indeed have used more development, and maybe it wouldn't have hurt to mention, even in passing, that he was seeing a good therapist. But it's also true that sometimes what people need to resolve trauma is a supportive community and a couple of specific people who love them hard.
By the way, I also don't see this story as an instance of Magical Healing Cock: Elliott doesn't have sex with either Drew or Tom until he's rediscovered his own agency. That is to say, he's already healing. Talk, kindness, and affection, not sex, have started the process.
And did I mention the sex scene so scorching that you can kiss your heating bill goodbye? Yeah, that.
So there you (Tom) are, having a pleasant evening at your local kink club, when you happen across a textbook abusive dom doing the kinds of things that abusers of all stripes do, and what do you know, after a brief exchange the abusive dom basically throws his sub (Elliott) at you. And now you've got a whole plateful of traumatized sub on your hands. Plus, how is your regular sub (Drew) going to feel about the situation?
Well, this is an R.J. Moray book, so rest assured that (1) all ends well; (2) the sex is so hot as to make your fuel bill redundant this winter. Every time I review another RJM book I'm compelled to express my appreciation for her clear -- well, not "message," exactly; her books aren't didactic -- view that there is no "right" way to do BDSM as long as consent and mutual respect are part of the picture. Something I really like here is that Elliott, having taken his view of BDSM from his abuser, spends a long time believing that Tom is a shitty dom and Drew is a shitty sub. Why, Drew doesn't call Tom Master and fall to his knees every time Tom enters the room! HOW DARE.
And Tom isn't an all-knowing, perfect Domly Dom who does everything in a Domly Manner: he's at a loss for how to help Elliott begin to believe in himself and learn that being a sub and being a human with choices aren't, and shouldn't be, mutually exclusive.
Drew is kind of a darling. Initially hesitant and afraid that Elliott will displace him in Tom's life, he winds up as a loving friend to Elliott. In the process he learns a thing or two about his own desires, and if you want to point and laugh and say, "Ha! I just knew it!" I will not stop you.
I want to take issue with another review, in which the reviewer is indignant because Tom doesn't call the cops and we don't see Elliott in therapy. Lord above, cishet women scarcely dare report being raped; I shudder to think about how the police anywhere would behave toward a queer submissive masochist.
As for therapy, oof. I live in NYC, and even here it was a job of work to find a kink-friendly therapist who had openings and with whom I felt an affinity. I can just imagine how helpful it would have been to Elliott had a therapist identified BDSM as the source of his problems. Look, the whole reason I'm giving this book 4.5 stars rather than 5 is that Elliott's recovery could indeed have used more development, and maybe it wouldn't have hurt to mention, even in passing, that he was seeing a good therapist. But it's also true that sometimes what people need to resolve trauma is a supportive community and a couple of specific people who love them hard.
By the way, I also don't see this story as an instance of Magical Healing Cock: Elliott doesn't have sex with either Drew or Tom until he's rediscovered his own agency. That is to say, he's already healing. Talk, kindness, and affection, not sex, have started the process.
And did I mention the sex scene so scorching that you can kiss your heating bill goodbye? Yeah, that.
August 13, 2023
I really *wanted* to love this, and there were some amazing parts, but overall it was just ok. It had the usual excellent Moray writing on pain kink and turning the whole sexual scene into something bigger and more meaningful. The characters were also excellent - each unique and motivated in their own ways. But it was almost just too short. The complete turnaround for Elliott felt too quick, with only a short scene and a few weeks. And the dreaded “months later” epilogue was nice but I wanted so much more! Ultimately this gets a 3* for the good parts but was just too intense in themes and character development to do well with a short novella.
Also - this is petty of me but it was incongruous and a bit annoying to have a sub with shibari on the cover and no mention of rope work anywhere in the book.
Also - this is petty of me but it was incongruous and a bit annoying to have a sub with shibari on the cover and no mention of rope work anywhere in the book.
February 25, 2024
(I'm so sorry u/ancientreader! I think you should probably steer clear of this review because I rip this book to shreds)
I'm going to rant because I hated nearly every aspect of the book: the BDSM portrayal, the characterizations, the character arcs, the romance and the author's overuse of italics.
Sidenote: I misinterpreted the summary and I don't believe that's fully my fault. The way the summary is written, Tom and Drew's pre-existing relationship sounds like it's a casual fuck-buddy scenario where they're in a romantic relationship but it's not serious. Other readers have tagged this book as MMM and polyamory so those combined with the misleading summary wording made me believe this book would be a poly romance. It's not. In fact, Drew isn't gay and at no point does he have a gay awakening. He and Tom have a platonic BDSM relationship and he and Elliott are like brothers. In fact, I wouldn't even classify Tom and Elliott's relationship at the end as being a romance either. They're involved in a sexual BDSM relationship, but there's nothing romantic about that either. So my expectations of this being a polyamory BDSM romance weren't met at all.
Elliott's characterization was done very well for the most part, particularly how his thought processes were written out and the writing was good but I disliked everything else.
My issues are listed from smallest to biggest.
Misleading Cover Art
Don't use a cover photo showing a model in shibari bondage when there's no shibari in the book. Tons of people love shibari and it's a rare kink in BDSM romance so this is going to mislead some readers. *waggles finger at author in disapproval*
Overuse Of Italics
The author obviously loves italics and uses them way too much, even in cases where they're not needed. Nearly every page had some italicizing and it was so frequent that I started noticing it and once I noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it and that was a major distraction.
Lack Of Backstory
I couldn't believe the fact that we don't learn anything about Elliott's history. NOTHING. We don't learn how/why he got into the abusive situation or how/why he would have nowhere else to go if Tom kicked him out. We sort of get told that he must have worked as a barista in the past (or his parents were rich and were really into buying different coffee makers) and there's a vague reference that Elliott's pathway to the abuse started with him being in a bar...? We also don't learn anything about Tom or Drew's histories or how they came together. It's like the author forgot to include these details in the story and nobody pointed it out during editing. It's very odd. I think this is the first time I've come across this. I don't really care about Tom or Drew's histories but Elliott's situation was the whole focus of the story so it's bizarre that we never learn how/why he ended up in that abusive situation.
Elliot's Magical Recovery
This book was so terrible that I wouldn't have been surprised to have the Magic Healing Cock trope pop up, but that's not actually what happens. It's even worse - .
In addition, there's a scene earlier where . This added to the overall sense that the author liked the idea of Elliott being a traumatized sub but had no idea how to depict his recovery arc properly.
Lack of BDSM Content
This book spent a lot of time talking about BDSM (it did it badly - more on that later) but the first smutty BDSM scene only takes place at 76%. Are you kidding me?!? When I pick up a BDSM MM romance, I'm expecting multiple smutty BDSM scenes throughout. The only BDSM scene that came earlier was a short, platonic one that included a homophobic dude so that didn't count.
Lack of Romance
Where the hell was the romance in this?? All three characters end up liking each other and they settle into a BDSM relationship that works for all three of them but there was zero romance! There's no chemistry between Tom and Elliott and they only start having BDSM scenes at 76%. Adding in the fact that the author focused way too much on Drew and having Tom and Drew discuss BDSM and there was no room left for any romance. Why the hell is this being marketed as an MM romance when the romance clearly wasn't the author's priority??
Drew = Annoying Gary Stu
I'm in the minority with this one but I couldn't stand Drew. He's immature and irresponsible and he uses BDSM to absolve himself from taking responsibility for his own actions. He can't remember to plug in his phone so he's late for work, he's rude to customers, he doesn't read parking signs and gets a ticket but that's all okay - he goes to Tom and gets spanked and that means he's absolved of all wrong doing. He never has to mature or learn or take responsibility for his own actions. This type of behavior drives me crazy. It reminds me of that ridiculous concept in Christianity when somebody can do whatever they want and as long as they go to confession, they're forgiven and can carry on. Whether it's the use of religious practices or BDSM practices or talking at a therapist for an hour or whatever - none of those things lead to growth or makes up for doing those wrongs. Those are my opinions and others will disagree but it really didn't sit right with me that the author pushed this idea that you don't have to take responsibility for your actions or strive to improve yourself because getting spanked by your dom every once in a while makes up for it. Never mind that Drew obviously enjoyed the spanking so the whole thing was play rather than discipline and that makes it even worse.
Then there was the absurd fact that Drew is a homophobe who the author decided would make a perfect third main character in an MM romance. The dude is straight. There's no gay awakening and every time Drew does some Gay Stuff, he and the author are quick remind us that he's not gay, he's just doing it because he gets off on the humiliation. You know - because doing gay stuff is humiliating. Look - I have no problem with humiliation kinks being used in BDSM romance. I even don't mind using humiliation kinks rooted in misogyny (dressing up in lingerie, being called feminine names etc) in a gay romance. If the characters acknowledge that they're misogynists but they don't care - that's fine. But I had a big problem with a character engaging in a blatantly homophobic practice throughout an MM romance and on top of that - the dude is a third main character and we're supposed to like him. Maybe we were supposed to read between the lines and come away with the idea that Drew is actually gay but hasn't had his gay awakening yet, but there's little to support to this idea and the author doesn't spend enough time on Drew's arc to do justice to it. I don't understand what the hell the author was aiming to accomplish with Drew's characterization but I hated it from start to finish.
Lastly, it's absurd how much the author favored Drew over Tom. Drew is the one with common sense and useful advice and Tom is depicted as a moron in order to let Drew shine brighter in comparison. I hated this because helping Elliott heal should have been Tom's role. Instead it's given to a homophobic straight dude who has no role in the MM romance of the story. WTF?
Tom = Incompetent, Useless Moron
When I'm reading a BDSM romance, the characterization of the dom will make or break the book for me and having an incompetent, useless dom who has no idea what he's doing is going to tank my opinion of the book very fast. Tom. Was. Useless. From the start, it's clear that Tom has no idea how to deal with Elliott's severe mental health issues but that's okay - I thought Tom's learning journey would be a major part of the story. It's not. The guy fumbles his way from the start of the story to the end with zero effort to learn how to do things better. Part of that might be due to him being arrogant and thinking his approach to BDSM is the be-all-end-all or it might be because the author clearly liked Drew better as a character and wanted Drew to be the wise one who has actual useful advice to give (which was really just common sense). Some examples of Tom's idiotic behavior:
BDSM Discussions = An Ironic Lack Of Tolerance And Flexibility
By far, the biggest thing that annoyed me was the author's take on BDSM. Throughout the entire book, the author pushes the idea that any criticism--ANY--about any BDSM related kink is a no-no. It doesn't matter if the criticism is due to the process in question being abusive, reinforcing harmful behavior or something else that's obviously no good. Nope - doesn't matter. Any criticism of any BDSM practice makes you a bad, judgmental person and that's not allowed in the community. The author takes this so far that Tom and Drew both reprimand each other when they dare to question if Elliott's prior experiences were abusive or not. These guys are more concerned about not being 'cancelled' by each other for daring to step outside the rigid behavior lines that this cultish mentality demands rather than addressing the issues that Elliott has. This is a common problem in both extreme left and right political circles these days and I hated having this mentality dragged into BDSM. The author's portrayal of BDSM here is NOT how things should be viewed and it's NOT how the BDSM community views things. Everybody is capable of separating consensual activities from abusive activities and that line is the only rigid thing that should be enforced in BDSM. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe the community has taken the concept of 'no kink shaming' to this terrifying extreme that the author depicts in the book here, but I hope not.
This whole thing horrified me to the point where I nearly DNF'd but I was so sure that the author couldn't possibly be pushing this idea and that the point of the story would be for Tom and Drew to learn that obviously - pointing out abuse when abuse is happening is both a good and necessary thing. But nope - the rigid rule of 'no criticism allowed' was enforced from beginning to end. Grace points out in her review that she found it off putting that Elliott's abuser wasn't punished in anyway and that Tom didn't make any effort to ensure that the abuser wouldn't carry on with his behavior. I realized after finishing the book why the author went that route - because punishing the abuser would be a form of criticizing his version of so-called BDSM (ie abuse disguised as BDSM) and criticism isn't allowed according to the author.
Overall:
This is one of the two worst BDSM MM romances I've ever read, which is a shame because the writing was good for the most part and I loved Elliott. Unfortunately, the author didn't do any aspect of it justice and I'm going to do my research more thoroughly before trying more of this author's BDSM books in the future.
I'm going to rant because I hated nearly every aspect of the book: the BDSM portrayal, the characterizations, the character arcs, the romance and the author's overuse of italics.
Sidenote: I misinterpreted the summary and I don't believe that's fully my fault. The way the summary is written, Tom and Drew's pre-existing relationship sounds like it's a casual fuck-buddy scenario where they're in a romantic relationship but it's not serious. Other readers have tagged this book as MMM and polyamory so those combined with the misleading summary wording made me believe this book would be a poly romance. It's not. In fact, Drew isn't gay and at no point does he have a gay awakening. He and Tom have a platonic BDSM relationship and he and Elliott are like brothers. In fact, I wouldn't even classify Tom and Elliott's relationship at the end as being a romance either. They're involved in a sexual BDSM relationship, but there's nothing romantic about that either. So my expectations of this being a polyamory BDSM romance weren't met at all.
Elliott's characterization was done very well for the most part, particularly how his thought processes were written out and the writing was good but I disliked everything else.
My issues are listed from smallest to biggest.
Misleading Cover Art
Don't use a cover photo showing a model in shibari bondage when there's no shibari in the book. Tons of people love shibari and it's a rare kink in BDSM romance so this is going to mislead some readers. *waggles finger at author in disapproval*
Overuse Of Italics
The author obviously loves italics and uses them way too much, even in cases where they're not needed. Nearly every page had some italicizing and it was so frequent that I started noticing it and once I noticed it, I couldn't stop noticing it and that was a major distraction.
Lack Of Backstory
I couldn't believe the fact that we don't learn anything about Elliott's history. NOTHING. We don't learn how/why he got into the abusive situation or how/why he would have nowhere else to go if Tom kicked him out. We sort of get told that he must have worked as a barista in the past (or his parents were rich and were really into buying different coffee makers) and there's a vague reference that Elliott's pathway to the abuse started with him being in a bar...? We also don't learn anything about Tom or Drew's histories or how they came together. It's like the author forgot to include these details in the story and nobody pointed it out during editing. It's very odd. I think this is the first time I've come across this. I don't really care about Tom or Drew's histories but Elliott's situation was the whole focus of the story so it's bizarre that we never learn how/why he ended up in that abusive situation.
Elliot's Magical Recovery
This book was so terrible that I wouldn't have been surprised to have the Magic Healing Cock trope pop up, but that's not actually what happens. It's even worse - .
In addition, there's a scene earlier where . This added to the overall sense that the author liked the idea of Elliott being a traumatized sub but had no idea how to depict his recovery arc properly.
Lack of BDSM Content
This book spent a lot of time talking about BDSM (it did it badly - more on that later) but the first smutty BDSM scene only takes place at 76%. Are you kidding me?!? When I pick up a BDSM MM romance, I'm expecting multiple smutty BDSM scenes throughout. The only BDSM scene that came earlier was a short, platonic one that included a homophobic dude so that didn't count.
Lack of Romance
Where the hell was the romance in this?? All three characters end up liking each other and they settle into a BDSM relationship that works for all three of them but there was zero romance! There's no chemistry between Tom and Elliott and they only start having BDSM scenes at 76%. Adding in the fact that the author focused way too much on Drew and having Tom and Drew discuss BDSM and there was no room left for any romance. Why the hell is this being marketed as an MM romance when the romance clearly wasn't the author's priority??
Drew = Annoying Gary Stu
I'm in the minority with this one but I couldn't stand Drew. He's immature and irresponsible and he uses BDSM to absolve himself from taking responsibility for his own actions. He can't remember to plug in his phone so he's late for work, he's rude to customers, he doesn't read parking signs and gets a ticket but that's all okay - he goes to Tom and gets spanked and that means he's absolved of all wrong doing. He never has to mature or learn or take responsibility for his own actions. This type of behavior drives me crazy. It reminds me of that ridiculous concept in Christianity when somebody can do whatever they want and as long as they go to confession, they're forgiven and can carry on. Whether it's the use of religious practices or BDSM practices or talking at a therapist for an hour or whatever - none of those things lead to growth or makes up for doing those wrongs. Those are my opinions and others will disagree but it really didn't sit right with me that the author pushed this idea that you don't have to take responsibility for your actions or strive to improve yourself because getting spanked by your dom every once in a while makes up for it. Never mind that Drew obviously enjoyed the spanking so the whole thing was play rather than discipline and that makes it even worse.
Then there was the absurd fact that Drew is a homophobe who the author decided would make a perfect third main character in an MM romance. The dude is straight. There's no gay awakening and every time Drew does some Gay Stuff, he and the author are quick remind us that he's not gay, he's just doing it because he gets off on the humiliation. You know - because doing gay stuff is humiliating. Look - I have no problem with humiliation kinks being used in BDSM romance. I even don't mind using humiliation kinks rooted in misogyny (dressing up in lingerie, being called feminine names etc) in a gay romance. If the characters acknowledge that they're misogynists but they don't care - that's fine. But I had a big problem with a character engaging in a blatantly homophobic practice throughout an MM romance and on top of that - the dude is a third main character and we're supposed to like him. Maybe we were supposed to read between the lines and come away with the idea that Drew is actually gay but hasn't had his gay awakening yet, but there's little to support to this idea and the author doesn't spend enough time on Drew's arc to do justice to it. I don't understand what the hell the author was aiming to accomplish with Drew's characterization but I hated it from start to finish.
Lastly, it's absurd how much the author favored Drew over Tom. Drew is the one with common sense and useful advice and Tom is depicted as a moron in order to let Drew shine brighter in comparison. I hated this because helping Elliott heal should have been Tom's role. Instead it's given to a homophobic straight dude who has no role in the MM romance of the story. WTF?
Tom = Incompetent, Useless Moron
When I'm reading a BDSM romance, the characterization of the dom will make or break the book for me and having an incompetent, useless dom who has no idea what he's doing is going to tank my opinion of the book very fast. Tom. Was. Useless. From the start, it's clear that Tom has no idea how to deal with Elliott's severe mental health issues but that's okay - I thought Tom's learning journey would be a major part of the story. It's not. The guy fumbles his way from the start of the story to the end with zero effort to learn how to do things better. Part of that might be due to him being arrogant and thinking his approach to BDSM is the be-all-end-all or it might be because the author clearly liked Drew better as a character and wanted Drew to be the wise one who has actual useful advice to give (which was really just common sense). Some examples of Tom's idiotic behavior:
BDSM Discussions = An Ironic Lack Of Tolerance And Flexibility
By far, the biggest thing that annoyed me was the author's take on BDSM. Throughout the entire book, the author pushes the idea that any criticism--ANY--about any BDSM related kink is a no-no. It doesn't matter if the criticism is due to the process in question being abusive, reinforcing harmful behavior or something else that's obviously no good. Nope - doesn't matter. Any criticism of any BDSM practice makes you a bad, judgmental person and that's not allowed in the community. The author takes this so far that Tom and Drew both reprimand each other when they dare to question if Elliott's prior experiences were abusive or not. These guys are more concerned about not being 'cancelled' by each other for daring to step outside the rigid behavior lines that this cultish mentality demands rather than addressing the issues that Elliott has. This is a common problem in both extreme left and right political circles these days and I hated having this mentality dragged into BDSM. The author's portrayal of BDSM here is NOT how things should be viewed and it's NOT how the BDSM community views things. Everybody is capable of separating consensual activities from abusive activities and that line is the only rigid thing that should be enforced in BDSM. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe the community has taken the concept of 'no kink shaming' to this terrifying extreme that the author depicts in the book here, but I hope not.
This whole thing horrified me to the point where I nearly DNF'd but I was so sure that the author couldn't possibly be pushing this idea and that the point of the story would be for Tom and Drew to learn that obviously - pointing out abuse when abuse is happening is both a good and necessary thing. But nope - the rigid rule of 'no criticism allowed' was enforced from beginning to end. Grace points out in her review that she found it off putting that Elliott's abuser wasn't punished in anyway and that Tom didn't make any effort to ensure that the abuser wouldn't carry on with his behavior. I realized after finishing the book why the author went that route - because punishing the abuser would be a form of criticizing his version of so-called BDSM (ie abuse disguised as BDSM) and criticism isn't allowed according to the author.
Overall:
This is one of the two worst BDSM MM romances I've ever read, which is a shame because the writing was good for the most part and I loved Elliott. Unfortunately, the author didn't do any aspect of it justice and I'm going to do my research more thoroughly before trying more of this author's BDSM books in the future.
July 25, 2023
4.5 stars
This was very good; well-written with very distinct character voices, all 3 main characters felt like very unique and realistic people.
I thought this was quite enlightening psychologically and I really enjoyed how Drew and Elliott had quite different needs as subs and how Tom helped provide that for them. It's a nice example of the balance of power between a dom and a sub; while Tom, of course, enjoys what he's doing, everything he does is based on the desires and limits of his subs.
It was quite hard to read at points how thoroughly Elliott had lost his sense of self and become so objectified. There's are good reflections on consent in this, and how Tom isn't comfortable accepting Elliott's consent while he still has this mindset because Elliott would agree to anything without considering his limits. I mean, he doesn't even think he has the right to have limits.
I do agree with other reviews: Elliott needed professional psychological help. I think this could at least have been mentioned in passing, or as something they planned to do in the future. It's not that I don't believe in his growth, or that having supportive partners and healthy relationship dynamics isn't extremely beneficial to people who are struggling with mental health issues, it's just that it was a lot and his trauma clearly runs very deep.
That being said, it definitely didn't feel to me like he was "cured by magic dick". I liked that it was Drew who was the motivator for Elliott to sit down and work out what he wants out of a dynamic and what his limits are. I would have loved to see that in more detail.
I enjoyed seeing Elliott's opinion of Drew as a sub change. Initially, he thinks he's a terrible disrespectful "sub". Elliott barely even considers him a sub until later in the book where you can see him start to understand that there are other ways to be a sub and it's not a one-size-fits-all experience. And I don't think either of them ever fully understands the other's desires, but they do come to respect that and that's the most important part.
I did expect this to have 3 POV but while Drew is important to the story, we don't get his perspective. I thought that was a real pity, he was definitely my favourite of the 3, the one I identified most with, but I think this probably was too short for 3 POV anyway (that's a not-so-subtle hint that this should have been longer).
The very honest communication between Drew and Tom helped me be comfortable with their agreement. There are a few points where Drew is unsure of himself and his place but he raises it with Tom and they agree on how to proceed. It was perfect!
There's just the right amount of sex in this, which is to say not very much and not until the end. The scene between the 3 of them was beautiful. It made me really emotional actually, but was also...wow, it was really hot.
So anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a considered book about different BDSM dynamics, negotiations and healing.
Thanks to @ancientreader for this rec, what a success! I'm still not reading Taste of Ink though.
This was very good; well-written with very distinct character voices, all 3 main characters felt like very unique and realistic people.
I thought this was quite enlightening psychologically and I really enjoyed how Drew and Elliott had quite different needs as subs and how Tom helped provide that for them. It's a nice example of the balance of power between a dom and a sub; while Tom, of course, enjoys what he's doing, everything he does is based on the desires and limits of his subs.
It was quite hard to read at points how thoroughly Elliott had lost his sense of self and become so objectified. There's are good reflections on consent in this, and how Tom isn't comfortable accepting Elliott's consent while he still has this mindset because Elliott would agree to anything without considering his limits. I mean, he doesn't even think he has the right to have limits.
I do agree with other reviews: Elliott needed professional psychological help. I think this could at least have been mentioned in passing, or as something they planned to do in the future. It's not that I don't believe in his growth, or that having supportive partners and healthy relationship dynamics isn't extremely beneficial to people who are struggling with mental health issues, it's just that it was a lot and his trauma clearly runs very deep.
That being said, it definitely didn't feel to me like he was "cured by magic dick". I liked that it was Drew who was the motivator for Elliott to sit down and work out what he wants out of a dynamic and what his limits are. I would have loved to see that in more detail.
I enjoyed seeing Elliott's opinion of Drew as a sub change. Initially, he thinks he's a terrible disrespectful "sub". Elliott barely even considers him a sub until later in the book where you can see him start to understand that there are other ways to be a sub and it's not a one-size-fits-all experience. And I don't think either of them ever fully understands the other's desires, but they do come to respect that and that's the most important part.
I did expect this to have 3 POV but while Drew is important to the story, we don't get his perspective. I thought that was a real pity, he was definitely my favourite of the 3, the one I identified most with, but I think this probably was too short for 3 POV anyway (that's a not-so-subtle hint that this should have been longer).
The very honest communication between Drew and Tom helped me be comfortable with their agreement. There are a few points where Drew is unsure of himself and his place but he raises it with Tom and they agree on how to proceed. It was perfect!
There's just the right amount of sex in this, which is to say not very much and not until the end. The scene between the 3 of them was beautiful. It made me really emotional actually, but was also...wow, it was really hot.
So anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a considered book about different BDSM dynamics, negotiations and healing.
Thanks to @ancientreader for this rec, what a success! I'm still not reading Taste of Ink though.
January 21, 2022
3.75 Stars
This elicited a lot of feelings and showed healing where there was trauma. There was Elliot, a sub/slave being mistreated by his Master, Tom, a Dom stepping in to rescue him, and Drew, Tom’s slightly bratty sub who needed a firm hand. It was heartbreaking to see how Elliot was in the beginning, but as the story progressed it portrayed how Tom tried his best to be there for Elliot, even Drew, went the extra mile. It helped that the story had multiple pov’s and even if it was short given the number of chapters, the story had a fullness to it and felt complete. That epilogue was just so precious and steamy, it fit so well. I hope the author gives us an outtake on that ending, I’d love to see more of Tom, Elliot and Drew.
This elicited a lot of feelings and showed healing where there was trauma. There was Elliot, a sub/slave being mistreated by his Master, Tom, a Dom stepping in to rescue him, and Drew, Tom’s slightly bratty sub who needed a firm hand. It was heartbreaking to see how Elliot was in the beginning, but as the story progressed it portrayed how Tom tried his best to be there for Elliot, even Drew, went the extra mile. It helped that the story had multiple pov’s and even if it was short given the number of chapters, the story had a fullness to it and felt complete. That epilogue was just so precious and steamy, it fit so well. I hope the author gives us an outtake on that ending, I’d love to see more of Tom, Elliot and Drew.
February 5, 2020
Very good BDSM MMM!
February 23, 2017
I am on the fence with this one.
It is no secret that I am a BIG supporter of:
- Calling the cops, when somebody has done harm, or am thinking about doing harm, to somebody else.
- Calling a therapist or doctor (or something like it), when somebody has been abused and/or traumatised
This book did none of the above, and that REALLY drags down my rating, because it became a case of 'magic-dick' and BDSM-contracts will heal ALL your troubles, just sign here!
*sigh* Elliott was abused and in WAAAAAAAYYYYY over his head; I do not think letting him stew in his insecurities and his "slave-mind" or leaving him with another sub for two weeks was realistic and/or HEALTHY at all.
I likes Drew though, he was a proper 'brat' with a few fun kinks, but I wish that the choices for Elliott had been different.
It is no secret that I am a BIG supporter of:
- Calling the cops, when somebody has done harm, or am thinking about doing harm, to somebody else.
- Calling a therapist or doctor (or something like it), when somebody has been abused and/or traumatised
This book did none of the above, and that REALLY drags down my rating, because it became a case of 'magic-dick' and BDSM-contracts will heal ALL your troubles, just sign here!
*sigh* Elliott was abused and in WAAAAAAAYYYYY over his head; I do not think letting him stew in his insecurities and his "slave-mind" or leaving him with another sub for two weeks was realistic and/or HEALTHY at all.
I likes Drew though, he was a proper 'brat' with a few fun kinks, but I wish that the choices for Elliott had been different.
August 26, 2019
This was very sweet .. a beautiful relationship after serious abuse & trauma
February 5, 2020
Another good book by one of my favorite mm writers. When you write something I love as much as her Boy Next Door series it’s almost unfair to compare this story. This was a very sweet and touching story with some nice BDSM elements.
January 12, 2022
DEAD
Lmaooo, the ending! Hahaha, I love Tom, he’s so great! Elliott is a sweetie and the brat is hilarious too. Good and unexpected combo. 4.5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶🔥
Lmaooo, the ending! Hahaha, I love Tom, he’s so great! Elliott is a sweetie and the brat is hilarious too. Good and unexpected combo. 4.5/5⭐️ 3/5🌶🔥
Read
March 19, 2017This is one of the best D/s books I've read recently. I'm especially fond of three-way situations in which the D/s dynamics need to be worked out. This story involves two very different submissives and their dominant, and Moray does a great job portraying how they process the relationship. I'm currently reading a BDSM series (His Boy Next Door) by this author and while the main characters are less appealing to me (just not a favorite theme), I'm enjoying the books.
I rarely write full reviews and I don't like the 5-star rating system, but I wanted to post something about the book.
Interestingly, the cover photo is the one I used for my novelette.
I rarely write full reviews and I don't like the 5-star rating system, but I wanted to post something about the book.
Interestingly, the cover photo is the one I used for my novelette.
January 21, 2022
3.5 Stars
I really liked this. I loved to see Elliott realizing that what he thought a Dom/sub relationship is like is not right and that while everything is allowed consent is the most important. I also really liked the relationship between these three even though I wish there would have been more about Drew’s part in it.
While the story first of is about Elliott and him healing from an abusive relationship, in the end it’s a poly relationship and therefor I would have liked more focus on that, not just in the epilogue.
Something that annoyed me a little is that thing about people saying Tom is „emotionally distant“. It never got talked about again and honestly I never had the feeling it was true anyway. Otherwise he would even have cared about seeing Elliott being mistreated and he probably wouldn’t have taken him home. I don’t know what the author wanted to do with this.
Something I loved was that she showed that you don’t have to understand the kinks of others because oftentimes we just can’t understand why people need certain things in their life and that’s ok.
Overall this was pretty good, especially for being quite short, and I would definitely read more from the author.
I really liked this. I loved to see Elliott realizing that what he thought a Dom/sub relationship is like is not right and that while everything is allowed consent is the most important. I also really liked the relationship between these three even though I wish there would have been more about Drew’s part in it.
While the story first of is about Elliott and him healing from an abusive relationship, in the end it’s a poly relationship and therefor I would have liked more focus on that, not just in the epilogue.
Something that annoyed me a little is that thing about people saying Tom is „emotionally distant“. It never got talked about again and honestly I never had the feeling it was true anyway. Otherwise he would even have cared about seeing Elliott being mistreated and he probably wouldn’t have taken him home. I don’t know what the author wanted to do with this.
Something I loved was that she showed that you don’t have to understand the kinks of others because oftentimes we just can’t understand why people need certain things in their life and that’s ok.
Overall this was pretty good, especially for being quite short, and I would definitely read more from the author.
May 28, 2019
Oh, that was lovely! Well, once I got past the part where I was cursing out Barry fucking Struthers for what a massive asshole and prick he is, then it was lovely. I was a little surprised that Drew didn't show up until partway into chapter 3 -- even though the words "cool, casual, no complications" are in the blurb, I was thinking they would be a little more...constant maybe? Anyway, I liked how Drew helped Elliott figure out how to be a sub, not just a doormat and slave, and how Elliott helped Tom to force Drew into what he really wanted but was too embarrassed to brattily demand. I see a happy (and slightly bruised!) future for these three!
December 27, 2021
I don't know why I didn't read this sooner! Soooo many feels! I adored the hurt/comfort elements and the journey from victim to empowerment. A beautifully written book that kept me enthralled on every page.
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars. I don’t know what I was expecting but honestly this is such a sweet story.
September 25, 2019
Actually, it ought to be better than ‘just OK’.......
Dom Tom intervenes when he discovers submissive Elliott being abused by his supposed ‘Master.’ Tom brings Elliot home, only to discover that Elliott has Issues, which Tom believes he can help fix. Not to mention that he enjoys Elliott’s submission....which is a far cry from the kind of bratty behavior that Tom usually receives from Drew, his long-time submissive.
It’s frustrating when there’s a promising story that never develops or delivers.
It’s immediately apparent that Elliott has Issues and Baggage; he’s a poster child for self-negating and self-hating. But we never know why or what happened in his past that brought him to this point. Then there’s Tom.....we know nothing about him either, except that he seems like a nice guy. But what is it about Elliott that appeals to him? Why does he feel such a sense of responsibility to someone he barely knows? Then there’s Tom’s existing relationship with his submissive, Drew. Drew is a bratty sub....the antithesis of Elliott....who pushes Tom to get the discipline he wants. Again, we know nothing about him or how his relationship with Tom developed, or how he feels about adding Elliott to their life.
I guess that’s the fundamental problem with this story...We don’t ever know anything much about the characters that would allow us to connect with them or care about them. It’s all just so very superficial...like watching a trailer for a movie that looks like maybe you’d want to see it.. when it showed up on cable.
So...two stars.
Dom Tom intervenes when he discovers submissive Elliott being abused by his supposed ‘Master.’ Tom brings Elliot home, only to discover that Elliott has Issues, which Tom believes he can help fix. Not to mention that he enjoys Elliott’s submission....which is a far cry from the kind of bratty behavior that Tom usually receives from Drew, his long-time submissive.
It’s frustrating when there’s a promising story that never develops or delivers.
It’s immediately apparent that Elliott has Issues and Baggage; he’s a poster child for self-negating and self-hating. But we never know why or what happened in his past that brought him to this point. Then there’s Tom.....we know nothing about him either, except that he seems like a nice guy. But what is it about Elliott that appeals to him? Why does he feel such a sense of responsibility to someone he barely knows? Then there’s Tom’s existing relationship with his submissive, Drew. Drew is a bratty sub....the antithesis of Elliott....who pushes Tom to get the discipline he wants. Again, we know nothing about him or how his relationship with Tom developed, or how he feels about adding Elliott to their life.
I guess that’s the fundamental problem with this story...We don’t ever know anything much about the characters that would allow us to connect with them or care about them. It’s all just so very superficial...like watching a trailer for a movie that looks like maybe you’d want to see it.. when it showed up on cable.
So...two stars.
June 27, 2023
I don't like novellas usually, but I've liked everything I've read by this author so I thought I'd try it. And I feel the way I normally do after reading a novella: it was too short! It finally started to get good, and then it ended.
This was different for me because Drew is (apparently?) straight, but his Dom, Tom, is gay. I absolutely know that sex doesn't have to enter a BDSM relationship--but some acts DO happen between the two of them so it just blurs the lines to confuse me. But then enter Elliott. And that blurs the lines even more.
Because this is so short, but because the author wanted to make it believable I'm assuming, quite a bit of the book is taken up by getting Elliott out of the headspace of being a slave like he had been. And he wants Tom, even once he realizes he doesn't HAVE to serve Tom, even though we don't actually see enough interaction that supports this. So it's kind of insta-something but we don't get to see it because the book is short.
Basically the only part that made the book worth it was the ending couple scenes between Tom and Elliott and then the three of them.
This was different for me because Drew is (apparently?) straight, but his Dom, Tom, is gay. I absolutely know that sex doesn't have to enter a BDSM relationship--but some acts DO happen between the two of them so it just blurs the lines to confuse me. But then enter Elliott. And that blurs the lines even more.
Because this is so short, but because the author wanted to make it believable I'm assuming, quite a bit of the book is taken up by getting Elliott out of the headspace of being a slave like he had been. And he wants Tom, even once he realizes he doesn't HAVE to serve Tom, even though we don't actually see enough interaction that supports this. So it's kind of insta-something but we don't get to see it because the book is short.
Basically the only part that made the book worth it was the ending couple scenes between Tom and Elliott and then the three of them.
January 17, 2019
Wow.. This book is a new author for me which was recommended by a friend. I was going to give this 4.5 stars but the ending surpassed that to 5+. The start was great and got me in as I read i was concerned for Elliott's mental thoughts. Elliott is 22 yrs and thought he "wasn't good enough" as a new 24 x 7 slave it didn't help that "Master" treated by poorly. This part was written brilliantly and I was intrigued how Tom would deal with the situation. I was sceptical with a scene for Elliott goes weeks away would do to him but what Drew does and what comes after blew me away. Hot hot BDSM scenes in the last half of the book while the first was getting to know each other storyline. I cant wait to read more of the authors book..Woop.. I gotta say the cover is misleading though for the rope bondage pictured.
Tom 30 yr rescues a Sub which was struggling with his abusive Master at a gathering. He finds Elliott whom had been new to the scene for just 3 months. But Tom has to take into account Drew his straight sub and their arrangement together to include Elliott.
Tom 30 yr rescues a Sub which was struggling with his abusive Master at a gathering. He finds Elliott whom had been new to the scene for just 3 months. But Tom has to take into account Drew his straight sub and their arrangement together to include Elliott.
October 24, 2020
I love this author. Now that I am completely caught up with all seasons of both His Boy Next Door: Season One and A Collar For His Brat: Season One Collection, I have started reading some of her other books. Finding Elliott was wonderful and unlike anything I had read before. Elliott was rescued by Tom from a bad relationship. However, Tom was at a loss as to how to help him. Drew is Tom's sub. Together they are able to help Elliott and by the end, the trio make quite a team. I would absolutely LOVE to read more about them. Such an interesting dynamic between the three of them.
December 25, 2021
A Dom rescues a sub from a bad situation at a party and helps him recover from abuse suffered at the hands of his previous master. The setup was promising but this book was really too short to deliver on it in a satisfying way. The speed with which Elliott recovers from his previous relationship was not believable and smacked of Magic Dick Syndrome. The book also includes the Dom’s existing sub, who is apparently using his relationship with the Dom to work out his conflicted feelings about his sexuality, which is fine but seems like something for another book and not a novella that already has a main plot. Moray’s excellent writing saves this from a lower rating, though I don’t know that I’d recommend it.
April 20, 2019
Another quick, enjoyable BDSM read from this author! I liked the characters and concept a lot, and the threesome dynamics were super interesting and very different from anything I'd read before, which I really enjoyed!
My big gripe though, is the issue with Elliot's former Dom/Master. I can understand why the cops might not have been called in this situation, but I really struggled with the idea of Tom not doing anything about it/making sure this kind of thing didn't happen again. No confrontation, not even a brief mention of having other Doms talk to the dude, nothing. Just didn't sit well with me and took away some of the enjoyment here.
My big gripe though, is the issue with Elliot's former Dom/Master. I can understand why the cops might not have been called in this situation, but I really struggled with the idea of Tom not doing anything about it/making sure this kind of thing didn't happen again. No confrontation, not even a brief mention of having other Doms talk to the dude, nothing. Just didn't sit well with me and took away some of the enjoyment here.
December 29, 2019
I liked this story and I so wanted to love it, because it started so well. But while it was engaging and had its sweet moments, it bugged me how Tom handled the whole situation with Elliott.
He took on someone he didn't know how to handle and in my opinion he handled things wrong and it didn't seem like it should have worked out so well.
What did work for me was the angst in it, Elliott's doubts and insecurities was just the right brand for me and it just lacked some more back story to bring it all together, along with a different solution to what was decided.
He took on someone he didn't know how to handle and in my opinion he handled things wrong and it didn't seem like it should have worked out so well.
What did work for me was the angst in it, Elliott's doubts and insecurities was just the right brand for me and it just lacked some more back story to bring it all together, along with a different solution to what was decided.
November 22, 2021
I read to be entertained and I was. This book caught my attention right off the at. Tom, the Dom, and Elliott, a slave/sub, and Drew, A sub, are the characters in this story. Drew is the character who is putting in the work. He takes Elliott home with him and lets him sleep on his couch. He seems to reintegrate Elliott into a everyday life playing video games, hanging out with friends, getting him a job, and help bring his self worth back. Which then allows him to communicate his needs to Tom. The three men work things out because communication is key.
April 22, 2018
So wasn't expecting that!
I thought this would be a good read but not much else. Boy was I surprised by how good. Elliott I got attached to quick. At first Drew didn't really shine for me until we got to know more about him. With Tom it was steady all the way through but not as deep as his boys. I love to check in on these guys further down the road. I can see them having a strong loving triad.
I thought this would be a good read but not much else. Boy was I surprised by how good. Elliott I got attached to quick. At first Drew didn't really shine for me until we got to know more about him. With Tom it was steady all the way through but not as deep as his boys. I love to check in on these guys further down the road. I can see them having a strong loving triad.
January 25, 2020
Super disappointed with this story. I loved all the characters but felt like Drew got really shortchanged. From the blurb it sounded like the story would be about the three of them. It was more about Elliot and Tom with a side of Drew. I don't even think I got to see Drew's POV in this story. I loved all three of the characters, but it just felt there could have been potential for so much more. The ending also felt kind of ambiguous. I finished it feeling disappointed.
January 23, 2022
The reason I gave this book a 3.0 rating instead of a 4.0 is because the ending implies where the relationships might be headed but personally as a reader I like it to be more clear exactly where everyone stands. I came to care about this guys and I'm not sure I am completely satisfied that everyone is getting everything they need. But the story is well written and draws you in with the need and pain.
October 21, 2023
Long setup and then quick finish. I also felt like perhaps the adults in the room could have thought about Elliot needing a counselor or something? Literally abused and Tom’s solution was to send him away for two weeks, get a job, and then take him to bed.
4 stars because I have to remember it’s a book and the ending was hot.
Spanking, hairbrush, ménage, forced gay humiliation, service, orgasm control, nipple clamps, caning
4 stars because I have to remember it’s a book and the ending was hot.
Spanking, hairbrush, ménage, forced gay humiliation, service, orgasm control, nipple clamps, caning
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2025
2.5 stars, but I kinda inhaled this novella in one go. What can I say? I’m just that desperate for D/s books where one Top doms two subs… plus, I’m a sucker for picking-up-strays stories. Caught up in this trope-induced mania, I powered through all the cringiness. A bit of backstories could have added some much-needed depth to the characters, but as it is, it only works if you’re willing to switch your brain off.
June 14, 2019
Had me from page one
This is the story of Elliot. Tom found Elliot when he was a slave to the worst kind of wanna be Dom.
Tom rescues Elliot and brings him home. But Tom has Drew, his part time sub. This story is about Elliot's journey with Tom and Drew, how he finds his self worth. Excellent!
This is the story of Elliot. Tom found Elliot when he was a slave to the worst kind of wanna be Dom.
Tom rescues Elliot and brings him home. But Tom has Drew, his part time sub. This story is about Elliot's journey with Tom and Drew, how he finds his self worth. Excellent!
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