Blind Passion

by Penny Brandon

Attraction for Adam was not a handsome face, a striking smile, or beautiful eyes, but a scent that would drive him to distraction or a voice that could make his heart beat faster. When the combination of the two walked into his life in Luke, Adam couldn’t help but want him. But how was he supposed to know if Luke felt the same attraction? He had no prior experience, no past encounters, nothing to help him. Not even his sight. One look at Adam and Luke wanted him. Sensual, gorgeous, kind, with a strength that Luke was drawn to, Adam was everything Luke desired. Being in Adam’s arms, showing him the pleasure of a man’s body, being touched, held, and desired in return, had Luke wanting more, had him wanting what he knew he couldn’t have. It didn’t matter to him that Adam was blind, but Adam deserved more than someone like him. Luke was a man with a broken past and falling in love with Adam was a foolish thing to do, especially because Adam would never love him back if he found out what Luke was hiding. This is a stand-alone M/M romance with a HEA and no cliffhangers.

Genres: M M Romance, Disability, Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary Romance

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2011

About the author

Penny is a complete romantic who believes everyone can fall in love if only they’ll open their heart to the possibility, which is why she writes those hot, erotic stories that will always have a happily ever after. However, it doesn’t mean she’ll necessarily make it easy for her men to get there. A lover of things that go bump in the night, Penny’s imagination can sometimes run riot, so magic mirrors and evil dolls are only the beginning.

Reviews

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this story!! I thought Adam and Luke had great chemistry and I liked both of them. Adam's disability didn't seem to hinder his way of life but definitely improved when Luke entered and Luke was all the better with Adam in his life.

The romance was sweet and loving my one negative, I was under the impression that Luke was supposed to be the more experienced of the two, the author made a point of telling us this in more than one of Adam and Luke's conversations, but Luke seemed almost as inexperienced as Adam.

This story was great from beginning to end I couldn't put it down I couldn't wait to find out how it ends then was sad that the story was over, I wanted more!

[Feliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blind Passion was a romance in the true sense of the word. It had the classical coupling of a blind and a scarred hero who were nevertheless prevented from being mere stereotypes by the interesting paranormal element. Also, each was given enough flaws to make them believable. Despite the fact that Luke is supposed to be a criminal, and often has flashbacks of his crime, violence and death are only hinted at and barely make an appearence on-page. The actual story didn’t contain any violent scenes, and Adam’s and Luke’s public displays of affection are met with acceptance by everyone. Their conflict truely arose only from within them.
We get to know both protags very well through their thoughts as well as through their actions. Both their inner musings were quite angsty, since both are good men who care for each other, so much so that their mutual concern for the other’s peace of mind threatens to bring them apart. I found this a slight case of Insta-Love since the men make a serious commitment after knowing each other for only a few days, but at least they didn’t exchange the magic words during their first night. The Big Misunderstanding also raised its nasty little head, but was satisfyingly quickly nipped in the bud as both Adam and Luke were truely in love with each other and, once both had made up their mind, went about making their relationship work.

A big portion of the book consisted of sex, which, although well-written and filled with emotions and meaning, got a little old over time. This, though, was just a minor niggle of mine; others may love the story just for this. Aside from some minor slips of the pen, the writing in itself flowed easily, making Blind Passion a smooth and delightful read.

I’d recommend this book to everybody who feels like a sweet, emotional read with a beautiful, satisfying Happy End that will put a smile to your face.

Read the full review at reviewsbyjessewave.com

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

I liked a lot about this book but I had a couple of niggles, which may not bother anyone else, which meant I've rounded down to 3.5 rather than 4.

My biggest niggle was that Luke 'read' a lot older than his 22 years and the timeframe for all that had happened to him didn't quite appear to add up.

Now, as this is set in Australia, it may be that school age/college/apprenticeships are slightly different to here in the UK so I'm just going with the flow. I think if he'd just been a couple of years older it would have felt more believable.

My other niggle is a bit of a spoiler which I don't want to tag as it would give away a big plot element but, for me, while beautifully written, it felt out of place in a contemporary romance.

However, that aside, I thought the way the author approached Adam's blindness and how he developed feelings for Luke was brilliantly done and I adored the relationship between them and the emotionally driven way they began to trust and rely on each other.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Nik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't summarize the story. I'll simply say, I enjoyed this story. It wasn't anything too crazy. Just a steady slow build, a bit of angst with a twist and alot of sex happening.

A solid read overall.

[Vallie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

Yeah, this was hot but the rest was a mess. I couldn't get used to the author's writing style and there were a lot of things that annoyed me. The MCs kept repeating each other's names in every sentence. Who talks like that in real life? Not to mention the whole issue with one of the MCs "criminal" background and the fact that he kept making assumptions about not being wanted, not being deserving of affection etc.

There was an interesting twist to the blindness one of the MCs experienced, which made the story a little different. Overall, this was going straight to my dnf shelf but I stuck through it by skimming a lot of the sex scenes towards the end.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! From start to finish, it was a great, well written read with strong, flawed, real characters who had great chemistry together. I loved Adam and Luke's banter back and forth, very smart dialogue. I enjoy reading stories with characters who have some sort of disability or handicap and them overcoming it, and this author's paranormal take on Adam's blindness was refreshing to read and made for a very interesting story. Highly recommended! I can't wait for what this author puts out next. This is definitely one of my best reads for 2011, even though the year just started 21 days ago :D

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that blindness was just a part of his life, not the defining aspect. A sort of paranormal aspect added a nice touch. I did think Luke carried guilt that really wasn't warranted.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

There’s a sensuality to this book that I really enjoyed. Part of that is the descriptions the author uses. It’s not just because one of the MCs is blind either. Brandon has a wonderful way of depicting scenes that really bring them to life. Adding into that is the special connection between Adam and Luke. I’m going to be purposefully vague about that, but it’s really adds layers of sensuality to every interaction between the two men.

I really liked both MCs. Adam is determined and has a solid backbone. His confidence in himself shines through. But I like that he had moments of vulnerability as well. Luke comes off, at first, as a jerk. But it’s all a front. He has a soft heart underneath, and even though he’s more than down on his luck, he hasn’t quite given up. These two guys fit so well together, and it shows in every scene.

This book is highly erotic. The MCs can’t get enough of each other and it drives the plot to a degree. I will say here that it was a bit much at times. not that the sex wasn’t hot, because it was, but more that there were times that it was all there was between them. I would have liked to see more conversation and more connection outside of sex. These guys work, yes. But it also felt a bit fragile to me, and I couldn’t quite accept that they were truly in love when I hadn’t seen enough between them.

Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm....This was a struggle. I struggled to click with the writing, I struggled with character connection, and I struggled to finish the book.
First time with this author and I believe it will be my last. I’ve read some amazing blind MC stories (Afflicted by Brandon Shire!!) and had higher expectations. Sadly, this missed the mark for me.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a sweetness to this story between blind teacher Adam and Luke, who is performing community service by assisting Adam, that pulls you in despite some of its flaws. The two men are very likable. There is an interesting psychic link between the two of them that's explored to good effect in a couple of scenes. They develop passionate feelings for each other quickly, as is typical of these types of books.

As for the flaws previously mentioned, there is the inconsistency of Luke's character. He's first described as the more experienced of the pair, the one that will teach Adam. Then it turns out he's not really all the experienced and his age of 21, didn't seem to match the world weariness of the character. He's supposed to be this angry, closed character, but then all of a sudden he's not.

Surrounding all the interactions between Luke & Adam is this deep secret that Luke is carrying that will mean that Luke cannot stay with Adam. It gets such a build up that when we discover what it is, at the end of the book, it's very anticlimactic and made me question Luke's character again and why he would think Adam would leave him over this. I think if we had found out about this in the middle of the book and explored this issue it would have been an improvement. But the only exploring the two of them ever wanted to do was each other's bodies.

Yes, this book had way too much sex in the sense that most of these scenes did not further the plot. In fact they sometimes hindered plot development. I think cutting these scenes by half and filling them up with Luke & Adam interacting in other ways would have helped this story greatly.

This turned out to be a very nice story and a pleasant way to pass the time but it could have been better with some adjustments.

[Valentina Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually the best book I've read in the last 2-3 weeks. I kept thinking while reading it that I shouldn't like it, because nothing much happens other than sex. But surprisingly enough it works. The two of them are so sweet and adorable you just have to read every scene and it is very enjoyable.

Adam being blind really made the book pop out from all the other books with a similar plot and I loved the way the author made it work. There was a lot of attention paid to details and I'm sure the author did a lot of research. While sex really is the main component of the book, everything else is what makes it tick. Both characters actually have a personality, information about their lives is placed into the story but in a very unobtrusive way so that even with other things being more important the relationship between the two still takes the main stage.

I would have liked to read more about their lives, both separate as well as together, and I kind of found the resolution at the end a bit weak. Nonetheless this is a book I would recommend. It's easy, sweet and worth the time. I'm actually curious about other work from this author.

[Samantha rozyczko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have REALLY mixed feelings about this story. I want to say I just didn't like it but since there was a couple of things I did like. I guess I'll start there. I really liked Adam he was cute and even though he was uncertain about things he had every right to be. What really bothered me was that the amount of sex in the book just made it seem like the author was trying to make the story longer and that was really the only reason they had sex so much. I'm not saying a lot of sex in a book is bad but if it just doesn't seem to fit it drives me crazy. Lastly I felt like once you got to the point of the issues in the story I felt like damn I just read this for THAT. I don't like a whole lot of drama in a story but when the drama is just stupid I felt cheated.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent read but two things lowered my enjoyment and the rating.

1 - There was this huge mysterious build up to why he was serving community service. He had scars, guilt and lots of self loathing...........then we find out what happened and I was so let down. It was pathetic and I still cant understand why he felt guilty or why he had such low self esteem.

2 - There was a LOT of sex. I love pornish book but in this case it became a bit repetitive and I started to skim sex scenes in the later part of the book.

This is a good book when your in the mood for some smut with an attempt at plot.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really more of a 3.5 read but I'll round up because it's so freaking sweet. I loved the woo-woo aspect of the story and found my favorite parts were when Luke was "showing" things to Adam. Fairly smoking virgin sex and lots of lovin', my favorite!

[Martijn Hartman-maatman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read, the whole paranormal touch was nice. But once again, why are all those "dark" secrets so small and irrelevant....

[terranova.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very hot book 4.5

[The Novel Approach · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blind Passion was no doubt a sweet romance with two equally interesting yet fragile characters when it was initially released by author Penny Brandon in 2011. However, unlike some novels whose messages or themes may be universal, m/m romance has made huge strides since then—particularly when it comes to content. These days it’s refreshing to see that many authors in this genre are focusing on the story, character development and emotional bonding over just sex. Please don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a well written sex scene as much as the next person, and when that moment is surrounded by a plot that is interesting and well developed, you have an exciting novel to enjoy. Unfortunately, I cannot say that about this book.

The story is a fairly simple but interesting one. Adam has been blind from birth, and other than an odd connection to his brother—one that has faded over time—he has never really been able to visualize the everyday things most of us take for granted. Therefore, his other senses have enabled him to not only keep track of others around him but mark them with a particular scent or timbre of voice. Such is the case with Luke. Knowing little about him other than he is working off community service hours by assisting Adam with grading, etc., Luke quickly becomes tantalizing in many ways to the blind teacher. Adam is drawn to the quiet assistant and wishes for nothing more than to understand the pain that he can often hear in Luke’s voice. But it’s when Luke touches Adam that the world explodes with light and colorful images that arouse Adam physically and emotionally. Now both men must work beyond their own doubts and fears to see if they can trust to share with each other those secrets which hold them prisoner.

If I would have picked up this novel several years ago, I am sure my review would have been very different. For instance, I might not have questioned the fact that although this was set in Australia there was not one iota of “Aussie-isms” used which, for someone who has traveled to that beautiful country and has good friends who live there, was a bit unsettling. I do believe that there was a time when many publishers encouraged authors to avoid dialects and colloquialisms indicative of their homeland—thankfully, that has changed over time. But while remarking on that might be considered nit-picking, I am fairly sure that what appeared to be a lack of understanding of how a blind-from-birth person maneuvers in their world would not be.

On more than one occasion, Luke drags Adam, sans cane, to brand new places, and we are expected to believe that Adam is able to walk, simply by holding Luke’s hand, into shops that he has never experienced. Not only that but apparently Adam is also an expert rock climber, as he is able to scale a wall without much problem when Luke decides to take him to the local club. A wall, Luke himself admits he was unable to conquer the first time even though he is a fully sighted man.

Honestly, were this story more than a series of sex scenes stapled together with a bit of dialogue and angsty self-doubt, I could have forgiven a lot. But this idea that these guys were literally hard for each other several times a day, and doing it like rabbits most of the time while knowing each other for barely a week, was just a bit much. That and the declarations of love, the constant worry that they were not good enough for each other and the shallow plot that seemed to exist only to be the vehicle for another sex scene—I truly was tempted to throw in the towel on this one long before finishing it.

In defense of this author, I will say that this was no doubt a pretty standard and successful novel for 2011. But, if one is going to re-release a novel that is dated into a genre that has greatly evolved, then perhaps one might want to update it a bit, put in some of the spirit and fun that Aussie’s are known for, and give the story more meat and less sex overall. For what it’s worth, that is the novel I could have really enjoyed. In the end, Blind Passion simply did not stand the test of time very well and, because of that, fell short of being a book that could hold my interest.

Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

So often, we make even the smallest thing a prejudice. And it's not necessarily that we mean to, but as human we do. We also are quick to judge without the whole story and are quick not to forgive. I think that's what I love most about this book, is despite what each of the main characters have been through, they don't see each other with prejudice or without forgiveness. They accept the other wholeheartedly. Even if they feel guilt or despair about themselves.

Luke is frustrated with this while community service stuff. He feels like absolute shit at what got him the fee, so to speak. But what's worse is the person he is doing his time with/for. Adam is the hottest thing Luke has ever laid eyes, but he's not sure if he's gay. Or if he would even feel anything for someone like him. He doesn't have anything to offer him. But what he doesn't realize is Adam is totally into Luke, but can tell Luke doesn't want to be there. And of course, Adam thinks it's because he's blind. Most people can't handle it. In a move that was pure deliberation, Luke found out real quick Adam was interested. But would Adam be ok speeding such a short time with him? He's leaving once his sentence is up and he can tell Adam isn't the sort of man who goes for a one night stand. And Luke can't get too close because of his past. But he has to know. In the next few weeks, they spend time together. In the bed and out of it. Luke has found out he has a connection with Adam that is unbelievable, but he would do anything to give him that. Adam shows, or tries to show, Luke he is worthy of love and Adam has no clue of his past yet. Luke brings more life in to Adam's world. But will Adam still love him if he tells Adam what he's done? Luke is terrified. And all Adam wants is this sweet man.

Wow. These two. Luke has had one hell of a life thrown at him. He's done his best to overcome but he's afraid to get too close to anyone anymore because of his past. He's lost so much already and he just doesn't know if he can handle much more. He wants so desperately to believe in new beginnings, but life has taught him not to hope too much. And anyone who reads about this man can't help but have their heart’s bleed for him. And the one man he's run into in a long while that he feels a spark for, is way out of his league. Or so he thinks. He's never cared that this Adonis is blind. Adam has a way to still know so much and see into your soul. And that's what scares Luke the most. Especially when he finds out about the connection they have. He can't handle one more rejection. One more person using him. Adam wants Luke with a passion he's never known. But Adam is as hesitant as Luke. Not because of his past, per se, but because of him in general. Know one he's known, except his brother, can handle his blindness. And Adam has given up hope of ever having a man in his arms or to love. Both are so drawn to each other and both terrified of what the other will say or do. But when they give in and the love begins to form, Luke is too scared and Adam is gets too hurt. And I am screaming at the book lol. But they have to learn to overcome.

We are human. We mess up. We fail. We judge. Bit what we should be doing is loving. I know so people are hard to love, but if it's truly worth it, you have to fight. Past the fears, the doubts and anything that stands in your way. Just love. It makes all the difference most of the time.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam has been blind from birth. He a teacher who needs help with grading papers. Luke has been assigned his helper for a few weeks as part of his community service. We don't know what the service is for.

Neither know the other is gay but each suspects that might be the case. They stumble their way together despite themselves. We learn Adam has never had sex and Luke agrees to teach him everything he knows. It turns out maybe Luke doesn't know all that much. There is a lot of sex, sometimes it feels like the sex is just filling up pages. When the big secret is revealed, it's pretty much a non issue.

There is an interesting paranormal element that I liked and it really added to the story.

Overall I liked the story

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time with this author but it won't be the last. Ms. Brandon's description of Adam and his since birth blindness was quite remarkable in its vividness. The relationship between Luke and Adam was, at first, iffy but through diligent working their HEA was achieved. A touch of the paranormal added a lot to the plot.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving gay male romance between a blind man and a man who assists him. Too much sex for me, or "filler" as another reviewer called it. Typical elements of a romance: feelings of inadequacy, troubled background, fear of sharing feelings, misunderstandings, HEA with everything solved.
Typos: missing words, "to" used for "the," "would of" used for "would have," comma used for semicolon.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, nice characters, both a good conflict and resolution.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Adam and Luke

[Nerine Petros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow, Adam always makes the best of any situation. Blind since birth, his positive, never-quit attitude shines through right from the start. Penny makes me feel right there in the moment, almost making certain I smell lust right alongside Adam as he first confronts the possibility of Luke's desire for him.

Adam's uncertainty in certain situations mixed with his self-assuredness when within comfortable surrounds really gave me an excellent impression of Adam as a person and how he copes with blindness. It also gave me a small insight into what the world must feel for someone without sight. This not only allowed me to connect with Adam as a character, understanding his hesitations and reactions better, but it also helped me to understand how important Luke is as soon as the story begins.

Although misunderstandings abound, the understanding of Luke's importance in Adam's life allowed me to also instantly feel connected to Luke, even before I started to get to know the ins and outs of him as a character. Once the role Luke plays in Adam's life and how it came about has been established, Luke at first appears skittish and hesitant to maintain any sort of relationship, even friendship. As the story unfolded, I saw a more confident, self-assured man emerge. Although touches of self-doubt still remain, this only enhanced my ability to connect with Luke as I felt this remained true to character.

The two men bounce off each other very nicely, with true tension perceptible at appropriate moments. Michael, as Adam's brother, also allows for a brief break and provides another unique view of Adam as a character, this one created out of love, worry and empathy from a younger brother's point of view of his much-beloved older brother. A really warm story with a touch of sweet and a dose of angst, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a real romance with a touch of drama, written in a contemporary style. Nx

Note: Review written for Queer Magazine Online.

[CoffeeTimeRomance andMore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fires that burn within the hearts of these two men are as powerful as they are tremulous. They share a link that is so uncommon and so wondrous it makes you want to believe in its reality. Adam and Luke will steal your heart away as easily as they do for each other, and the ride is an exhilarating freefall of passion and emotional cleansing. This is a beautiful romance between two men whose story just gets better and better as the pages roll by.

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...

[Beck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I originally read this book over 18 months ago and rated it ★★★★★ ... unfortunately, it didn't hold up to a second read all that well ... I found the constant to-ing and fro-ing about will they or won't they extremely irritating ... add in Adam's ability to do sexual acts that take practice despite his virginal status, and I pretty much had to force myself to finish.

If you are new to M/M, you'd probably enjoy this undemanding book ... if you have been reading M/M for a while, you'll probably pick this book apart and become frustrated ... the smex is hot, the relationship (when the unnecessary angst is over) is sweet, but the overall package is weak and full of holes.

[Janean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of QGB Q2 Challenge, recommended by Penny. Thank you for a truly interesting read. I really enjoyed both characters and their quirks and foibles. Luke is very playful and sexy despite his insecurities and his fears and I love that he falls in love even though he feels he is unworthy. Adam seems insecure when it comes to starting a relationship, but he surely steps up to the plate when all he wants is within his grasp. Thank you Penny for the recommendation and I look forward to reading more of your work.

[Pia]

Even for an LI release, there's a ton of sex in this one. Having sex, thinking about sex, talking about sex. At 70-something percent read, they've played pool, climbed a rock wall, and had a brief conversation with one MC's brother, and the rest was sex in some form.

I don't mind the LI heat level requirements, though I caught myself skimming the last few scenes of nekkid. I'm taking a break, and will come back to it later when the rest of the story starts nagging in my mind... when Luke's troubled past demands resolution.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. You had Adam a blind man who never thought he would find someone who could love him and Luke a scarred man with a past he was ashamed of who didn't think he was worthy of someone's love. The two of them were wonderful and I loved watching them change each other's worlds for the better. The paranormal element added an interesting twist to the story and Adam and Luke's relationship.

[Meggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simple LOVE this story, the whole concept, the plot, the pace of writing style and at last the couple. Wow the details..., the emotions..., it was special. This story is definitely one of my favorites and simple HIGHLY RECOMMENDED STORY for everyone !!!!
Such amazing story, I'm GLAD it was written!!! Thank you Penny !!