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Trenton Security #1
Livingston
He was the Beast without the escape clause.
Francis “Liv” Livingston was a beast. No matter if he wore a perfectly tailored suit or if he was in his tactical gear, people avoided looking at him. He was always first to volunteer for the jobs only a person with a death wish wanted. Tomorrows weren’t guaranteed. His boss had come to him and told him he needed him for a job. Linus knew the jobs he liked, but when he opened the file, it all went to hell.
Beauty was only skin deep.
Fielding Haskell made his way in the world on his looks. He’d earned his first film role before he could read a script. He didn’t want the fame. He wanted to go to college. He wanted a man who didn’t look at him and see how pretty he was. Unfortunately, a so-called fan only cared how attractive he was, and it earned him a personal bodyguard and a vacation. He looked forward to the break until he met the man in charge of his safety and wondered if the danger he left was worth dealing with a sudden attraction to a man who was colder than ice.
Francis “Liv” Livingston was a beast. No matter if he wore a perfectly tailored suit or if he was in his tactical gear, people avoided looking at him. He was always first to volunteer for the jobs only a person with a death wish wanted. Tomorrows weren’t guaranteed. His boss had come to him and told him he needed him for a job. Linus knew the jobs he liked, but when he opened the file, it all went to hell.
Beauty was only skin deep.
Fielding Haskell made his way in the world on his looks. He’d earned his first film role before he could read a script. He didn’t want the fame. He wanted to go to college. He wanted a man who didn’t look at him and see how pretty he was. Unfortunately, a so-called fan only cared how attractive he was, and it earned him a personal bodyguard and a vacation. He looked forward to the break until he met the man in charge of his safety and wondered if the danger he left was worth dealing with a sudden attraction to a man who was colder than ice.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2018
131 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Dabney
58 books642 followersUSA Today Bestselling author J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre published writer of Body and Fat Positive Romance & Fiction. They live with a constant diverse cast of diverse characters in their head. They live for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure everyone gets the happily ever after they deserve. There is nothing more they want from telling their stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be beautiful.
The author is Non-Binary and uses the pronouns They/Them.
The author is Non-Binary and uses the pronouns They/Them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
August 10, 2024
Trenton Security has been hired to protect an up and coming actor, Fielding, from a stalker. Linus decides Livingston should be the one to do it. So, he takes him to his remote cabin. What he doesn't expect is that Fielding is a sweet and innocent natural submission and he checks all Livingston's boxes. But Livingston checks all Fielding's as well and he wants Livingston to be his Daddy.
J.M. Dabney is my go-to guilty pleasure. I love that her books don't take a lot of thought. There's some feelings thrown in and of course, hot sex. This one is no different. I teared up a couple of times because both Livingston and Fielding have issues and need each other. Livingston did grate on my nerves with his insistence that Fielding had to go home once the job was over and the stalker is caught.
I'm looking forward to Little's book next. He really needs someone special and I hope he gets it.
J.M. Dabney is my go-to guilty pleasure. I love that her books don't take a lot of thought. There's some feelings thrown in and of course, hot sex. This one is no different. I teared up a couple of times because both Livingston and Fielding have issues and need each other. Livingston did grate on my nerves with his insistence that Fielding had to go home once the job was over and the stalker is caught.
I'm looking forward to Little's book next. He really needs someone special and I hope he gets it.
June 1, 2019
This is a new series, from a spinoff of the other two series…. If you haven’t read them, it should still be okay, but I ask you, why… why haven’t you… they’re AMAZING…. You should stop what you’re doing, and go do that right now…
In this one, we have Livingston.. he’s on Linus Investigations team… And they’re even more messed up than even the twirled world AND Executioners crew, if that can be believed! It seems like all of her guys just keep getting more damaged as she goes on, and that holds so true with Livingston.
Livingston, like most of these guys, had a troubling past, so troubling in fact, this mother tried to kill him in the most unbelievably heartbreaking way when he was just 8 years old. And because of that, he wears the scars like a constant reminder why love is nothing but pain to him. He feels like he doesn’t deserve good, because other than the giant family that is all the crews, he doesn’t know any differently…
Forced to babysit a new up and coming young actor, cuz the poor kid is being stalked and threatened…he knows he’s going to hate every second of it.
Fielding has no control over his life. At 22, his parents dictate literally every single second of his life. What he eats, how much he eats, when he works out, when he sleeps, literally not one second is his own. Using him for his money is about all he’s good for to him, and their cash cow is being threatened, so they send him to Linus… who gives him to Liv to look over…. He also knows that Liv wont be able to resist him, and….good call, Linus, because despite everything… these two fall hard and quick.
My heart broke for both of them, Fielding because the kid thought he couldn’t have anything for himself… no kind of life without his parents dictating literally everything. Liv, just didn’t think the deserved anything at all.
One thing that surprised me, that I loved so much, was the way Peaches was with Liv. Now, I know she’s soused to be awesome and all that, but she gets on my nerves a lot, she’s a little TOO much, and even though she was still so extra, and kinda annoying, I loved everything she said to Liv, in all the ways she loved him and wouldn’t let him hide from it. Go Peaches!
And of course through it all, Fielding falls for Liv, and wants him to be his daddy, and you guys… Jenny did not know that shed be into all that, but let me tell you how much Im learning about myself… cuz, oh-em-gee! I like it almost as much as Liv and Fielding do, I think! It was hot… like, hot, hot! Seriously…
And then the art I didn’t like, was how set Liv was on pushing and pulling and pushing and pulling. Its like, hed push and say he couldn’t keep Fielding, but then he would, but hen hed tell Fielding he couldn’t, but then he did. Then, when I finally thought he got his head out…. He didn’t, even when Fielding begged, repeatedly. Grrrr!!!
We got there in the end though, and it was worth every second of all of it. I cannot wait to see what happens with Little, I truly hope he’s next! It just keeps getting better and better.
5, amazing stars from me!
In this one, we have Livingston.. he’s on Linus Investigations team… And they’re even more messed up than even the twirled world AND Executioners crew, if that can be believed! It seems like all of her guys just keep getting more damaged as she goes on, and that holds so true with Livingston.
Livingston, like most of these guys, had a troubling past, so troubling in fact, this mother tried to kill him in the most unbelievably heartbreaking way when he was just 8 years old. And because of that, he wears the scars like a constant reminder why love is nothing but pain to him. He feels like he doesn’t deserve good, because other than the giant family that is all the crews, he doesn’t know any differently…
Forced to babysit a new up and coming young actor, cuz the poor kid is being stalked and threatened…he knows he’s going to hate every second of it.
Fielding has no control over his life. At 22, his parents dictate literally every single second of his life. What he eats, how much he eats, when he works out, when he sleeps, literally not one second is his own. Using him for his money is about all he’s good for to him, and their cash cow is being threatened, so they send him to Linus… who gives him to Liv to look over…. He also knows that Liv wont be able to resist him, and….good call, Linus, because despite everything… these two fall hard and quick.
My heart broke for both of them, Fielding because the kid thought he couldn’t have anything for himself… no kind of life without his parents dictating literally everything. Liv, just didn’t think the deserved anything at all.
One thing that surprised me, that I loved so much, was the way Peaches was with Liv. Now, I know she’s soused to be awesome and all that, but she gets on my nerves a lot, she’s a little TOO much, and even though she was still so extra, and kinda annoying, I loved everything she said to Liv, in all the ways she loved him and wouldn’t let him hide from it. Go Peaches!
And of course through it all, Fielding falls for Liv, and wants him to be his daddy, and you guys… Jenny did not know that shed be into all that, but let me tell you how much Im learning about myself… cuz, oh-em-gee! I like it almost as much as Liv and Fielding do, I think! It was hot… like, hot, hot! Seriously…
And then the art I didn’t like, was how set Liv was on pushing and pulling and pushing and pulling. Its like, hed push and say he couldn’t keep Fielding, but then he would, but hen hed tell Fielding he couldn’t, but then he did. Then, when I finally thought he got his head out…. He didn’t, even when Fielding begged, repeatedly. Grrrr!!!
We got there in the end though, and it was worth every second of all of it. I cannot wait to see what happens with Little, I truly hope he’s next! It just keeps getting better and better.
5, amazing stars from me!
March 9, 2018
An enjoyable read - possibly a bit short on depth as this would have built the story but nevertheless I enjoyed the characters. This spin off series still involves many of the Brawlers and Ink guys so it makes it fun to catch up with them all. I thought this book started well in unpacking Livingston’s background but things just flew after that which lost just a little credibility for me. No doubt though - I’ll continue to read books in this series!
March 14, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5 stars
Livingston was something of a challenge to read and for several different reasons. The writing is fine and the story, such as it is, works on a basic level. One of the biggest issues with this novel though is that as readers we are dropped into a world that’s already in progress. The author has several other series and characters from those books all seem to make an appearance here. I only know this because I did some research when it became apparent that I was supposed to know who these people were. The author makes no attempt in Livingston to explain who these people are or why they might be important. And we’re not taking one or two characters here, but a dozen or more, all of them crowded onto the page and clamoring for attention. They distract from the story happening between Liv and Fielding and because they nearly all have a Daddy kink, there are far too many people talking about their Daddies. It’s chaotic and confusing and it’s a problem that never gets resolved.
The other big issue is that there is essentially no relationship development between Livingston and Fielding. As a character, Liv has some depth and we’re given good insight into his past and why he is the way he is. But Fielding is something of a non-entity. We’re told he hates his life where he’s bullied and controlled by his parents. Yet he slips naturally into the role of Liv’s submissive. Beyond this though he doesn’t have much by way of depth. So the relationship between these two is flat and boring. And there is nothing by way of evolution when we look at their love affair. It just sort of starts between one page and the next. It isn’t believable or particularly interesting. Fielding has his natural kinks, which just happen to fit Liv’s, but there is no exploration of where or how they have come to this point in their lives. And it’s a shame, because I really wanted to like Liv and Fielding more than I did. I love a good bodyguard story and even more when a bit of kink is tossed into the mix. Unfortunately, Livingston failed to establish itself in any meaningful way.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
2.5 stars
Livingston was something of a challenge to read and for several different reasons. The writing is fine and the story, such as it is, works on a basic level. One of the biggest issues with this novel though is that as readers we are dropped into a world that’s already in progress. The author has several other series and characters from those books all seem to make an appearance here. I only know this because I did some research when it became apparent that I was supposed to know who these people were. The author makes no attempt in Livingston to explain who these people are or why they might be important. And we’re not taking one or two characters here, but a dozen or more, all of them crowded onto the page and clamoring for attention. They distract from the story happening between Liv and Fielding and because they nearly all have a Daddy kink, there are far too many people talking about their Daddies. It’s chaotic and confusing and it’s a problem that never gets resolved.
The other big issue is that there is essentially no relationship development between Livingston and Fielding. As a character, Liv has some depth and we’re given good insight into his past and why he is the way he is. But Fielding is something of a non-entity. We’re told he hates his life where he’s bullied and controlled by his parents. Yet he slips naturally into the role of Liv’s submissive. Beyond this though he doesn’t have much by way of depth. So the relationship between these two is flat and boring. And there is nothing by way of evolution when we look at their love affair. It just sort of starts between one page and the next. It isn’t believable or particularly interesting. Fielding has his natural kinks, which just happen to fit Liv’s, but there is no exploration of where or how they have come to this point in their lives. And it’s a shame, because I really wanted to like Liv and Fielding more than I did. I love a good bodyguard story and even more when a bit of kink is tossed into the mix. Unfortunately, Livingston failed to establish itself in any meaningful way.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
March 11, 2018
You've gotta love a book with a good fisting scene in it, I'm fairly sure that's a book reviewing rule right?
Well, lucky for me, I did love this book, even though I haven't read anything else from this author. It had moments of drama that perhaps were a little over the top, but it completely worked within the narrative.
More review tomorrow.
And it's tomorrow now so here's the rest (as I was falling asleep yesterday).
I thought this book was fab, it's not an overly complicated story and its done well. There's lots of other characters in it who have their own books which I've not read but there's enough info given for the reader to know what's going on.
Liv is a wonderful character, traumatic experiences and visible scarring have left him deeply isolated with only his friends providing any human interaction.
Fielding is naive and too young and inexperienced for Liv but he wants him just the same and the beautiful actor is more than willing to surrender and submit to his Daddy.
I will say this won't be for everyone, it's quite heavy on the Daddy/boy kink and some light BDSM but it absolutely fits the dynamic of the two men.
I hope Little gets his HEA and I want to know more about Horace & Freddie and why they live out in the woods!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Well, lucky for me, I did love this book, even though I haven't read anything else from this author. It had moments of drama that perhaps were a little over the top, but it completely worked within the narrative.
More review tomorrow.
And it's tomorrow now so here's the rest (as I was falling asleep yesterday).
I thought this book was fab, it's not an overly complicated story and its done well. There's lots of other characters in it who have their own books which I've not read but there's enough info given for the reader to know what's going on.
Liv is a wonderful character, traumatic experiences and visible scarring have left him deeply isolated with only his friends providing any human interaction.
Fielding is naive and too young and inexperienced for Liv but he wants him just the same and the beautiful actor is more than willing to surrender and submit to his Daddy.
I will say this won't be for everyone, it's quite heavy on the Daddy/boy kink and some light BDSM but it absolutely fits the dynamic of the two men.
I hope Little gets his HEA and I want to know more about Horace & Freddie and why they live out in the woods!
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
March 22, 2018
The story was addicting enough, I actually finished it in one go, but there were a lot of typos/grammatical errors that I just couldn't look past. Sometimes I wondered if that was just the writing style but yeah. All in all it was an okay read. And the secondary characters were really interesting, I hope they will get their own stories. Oh and apparently daddy kink isn't really my thing.
Man this book slump isn't funny anymore...
Man this book slump isn't funny anymore...
March 7, 2018
Nah
Man this author is not for me. Daddy kinks all around. This is my first book from this author and I'm am not loving it everyone is in a daddy/boy relationship. The boys are holes for the daddies. Liv likes fielding because he's submissive, pretty and petite. Fielding likes liv because he everything he's not, ugly, large and in charge, and a daddy. There's no love, fielding is a naive untouched virgin and is new to everything "He still felt weird about calling Livingston Daddy and what that meant" he doesn't know what it means but is persuaded into calling this guy daddy. I skimmed over the first intimate scene it was all spank, shove, choke, thrust and "you cry pretty". Don't even get me started on the second. It wasn't loving, intimate, caring or erotic. I personally am not into the daddy kink in this book because all of the boys actions and opinions are funneled through the daddy. I have read some good loving daddy/boy book but this was not it.
Man this author is not for me. Daddy kinks all around. This is my first book from this author and I'm am not loving it everyone is in a daddy/boy relationship. The boys are holes for the daddies. Liv likes fielding because he's submissive, pretty and petite. Fielding likes liv because he everything he's not, ugly, large and in charge, and a daddy. There's no love, fielding is a naive untouched virgin and is new to everything "He still felt weird about calling Livingston Daddy and what that meant" he doesn't know what it means but is persuaded into calling this guy daddy. I skimmed over the first intimate scene it was all spank, shove, choke, thrust and "you cry pretty". Don't even get me started on the second. It wasn't loving, intimate, caring or erotic. I personally am not into the daddy kink in this book because all of the boys actions and opinions are funneled through the daddy. I have read some good loving daddy/boy book but this was not it.
April 22, 2018
Meh, ... boring. The silliest take on Daddy kink that I’ve read to date. No depth or understanding of the characters which would go a long way towards not turning their kink into complete ridiculousness.
Dumb fisting scene thrown in for shock value I guess. All I got out of it was an eye roll. Seriously? Do ya think a little preparation might have helped to make this scene even remotely believable?
Okay, the scars. Considering how they came to be why only one half of Liv’s body and not his whole body? Doesn’t make any sense.
Cast of characters all thrown in. Peaches, plums, nectarines. Crazy, Sinner, Saint, Trouble, Little, Luck. Peter, Paul, Mary, WTF ever. Jumbled and nonsensical.
Again, meh. ** 2 **
Disappointed. Time to pick up and go.
Dumb fisting scene thrown in for shock value I guess. All I got out of it was an eye roll. Seriously? Do ya think a little preparation might have helped to make this scene even remotely believable?
Okay, the scars. Considering how they came to be why only one half of Liv’s body and not his whole body? Doesn’t make any sense.
Cast of characters all thrown in. Peaches, plums, nectarines. Crazy, Sinner, Saint, Trouble, Little, Luck. Peter, Paul, Mary, WTF ever. Jumbled and nonsensical.
Again, meh. ** 2 **
Disappointed. Time to pick up and go.
March 10, 2018
Daddy kink isn't for everyone. I am actually just beginning to find more books in this genre with it. JM Dabney isn't new to writing this kink and I like how there are levels to it and in her books we see the differences. In Livingston, while it is Daddy Kink, that isn't the only thing going on here.
Livingston himself is dealing with monsters that fester beneath his scarred skin. A past that affects every part of his present. And a future he deems to be lonely and bleak. This is not a life any person worth a damn should be living.
Fielding is an up and coming actor who's life is controlled by his parents and anyone else who makes money off him. He's slight, fairly defenseless, and can't speak up for himself. His diet and fashion is monitored and he longs to find a man that can give him everything he needs.
A crazy stalker is what brings Fielding to Trenton Securities and Livingston's newest mission together. Of course put the twinky adorable dude with the massive twisted up dude and naturally there will be sparks because this is all sorts of opposites attracting.
Livingston gives Fielding what he needs and in turn Fielding does that for Livingston. And while you may read this and say Fielding went from one controlling environment to another you'd be wrong. BDSM is a wildly misunderstood practice. Fielding is a submissive at heart. What his parents do is abusive to a submissive's need, What Livingston does is help him grow, love, and eventually live, without shame and with everything his has been denied.
The added suspense and action to this story was a huge plus and while I cried hearing the horrors of Livingston's past, I was overjoyed that these two MC's found what they craved their whole lives in each other.
Very enjoyable read! I recommend.
Livingston himself is dealing with monsters that fester beneath his scarred skin. A past that affects every part of his present. And a future he deems to be lonely and bleak. This is not a life any person worth a damn should be living.
Fielding is an up and coming actor who's life is controlled by his parents and anyone else who makes money off him. He's slight, fairly defenseless, and can't speak up for himself. His diet and fashion is monitored and he longs to find a man that can give him everything he needs.
A crazy stalker is what brings Fielding to Trenton Securities and Livingston's newest mission together. Of course put the twinky adorable dude with the massive twisted up dude and naturally there will be sparks because this is all sorts of opposites attracting.
Livingston gives Fielding what he needs and in turn Fielding does that for Livingston. And while you may read this and say Fielding went from one controlling environment to another you'd be wrong. BDSM is a wildly misunderstood practice. Fielding is a submissive at heart. What his parents do is abusive to a submissive's need, What Livingston does is help him grow, love, and eventually live, without shame and with everything his has been denied.
The added suspense and action to this story was a huge plus and while I cried hearing the horrors of Livingston's past, I was overjoyed that these two MC's found what they craved their whole lives in each other.
Very enjoyable read! I recommend.
March 7, 2018
DNF 20%
I’ve read daddy kink books before, and liked and enjoyed them.
This didn’t feel like daddy kink to me, it felt like domestic abuse, and i couldn’t even keep reading, it made me want to cry for the poor kid.
At this point in the book, he has never been given choices in his life, from his parents to his agent, he doesn’t know what it means to be loved or strong or independent, he doesn’t even know he is allowed to eat junk food without permission, and Liv steps in and immediately starts ordering him around, calling him a natural submissive. No he isn’t naturally submissive, he doesn’t even know he has a choice. All he knows is this big scary looking dude who he is completely dependant on is telling him what to do and he has to listen. It wasn’t a discussion of hey, do you know what daddy kink is, do you have any boundaries, are you comfortable? Do you know you’re ALLOWED to say NO without having to go without food or being punished? It honestly was making me so sad for the kid.
Daddy kink is great for me when the boy knowingly enters into that kind of relationship, is strong enough on their own to make decisions but just gets turned on by a daddy. Not someone who legit doesn’t know there is another option to how a relationship can work, how can he? It’s all he’s known. And what kills me is Livingston KNOWS this, and still treats him that way.
I’ve read daddy kink books before, and liked and enjoyed them.
This didn’t feel like daddy kink to me, it felt like domestic abuse, and i couldn’t even keep reading, it made me want to cry for the poor kid.
At this point in the book, he has never been given choices in his life, from his parents to his agent, he doesn’t know what it means to be loved or strong or independent, he doesn’t even know he is allowed to eat junk food without permission, and Liv steps in and immediately starts ordering him around, calling him a natural submissive. No he isn’t naturally submissive, he doesn’t even know he has a choice. All he knows is this big scary looking dude who he is completely dependant on is telling him what to do and he has to listen. It wasn’t a discussion of hey, do you know what daddy kink is, do you have any boundaries, are you comfortable? Do you know you’re ALLOWED to say NO without having to go without food or being punished? It honestly was making me so sad for the kid.
Daddy kink is great for me when the boy knowingly enters into that kind of relationship, is strong enough on their own to make decisions but just gets turned on by a daddy. Not someone who legit doesn’t know there is another option to how a relationship can work, how can he? It’s all he’s known. And what kills me is Livingston KNOWS this, and still treats him that way.
Read
March 19, 2021DNF
Reached almost 40% and I'm still not feeling it. Never never go for a boring & generic storyline. At least omit the boring part though.
Reached almost 40% and I'm still not feeling it. Never never go for a boring & generic storyline. At least omit the boring part though.
March 6, 2018
2.5 stars
So, that didn't go as I expected.
I have to preface this by saying that a lot of stories tickle my fancy. I love male/male. I love Daddy Dom stories. I love when there's an age gap. And SWAT team/bounty hunter/security types. Check. Check. Check. And check. But all of them together? This book sort of overloaded me with too much of a good thing and missed the mark.
Livingston is a man who has existed in the shadows with a death wish. But when a job protecting up-and-coming actor Fielding Haskell arises, Livingston finds someone he wants to start living for. As they spend time alone in Liv's cabin in the woods of Georgia, and as their affection grows, I found that I liked the individual characters. Alone in the cabin was the story I enjoyed: the scarred loner who finds love in the most unlikely of places; the scary Dom who learns to love from an innocent sub. But my affection for the characters individually wasn't enough to overcome the issues I had otherwise.
First, I will admit that this was the first time I've read a Daddy Dom story with two men. I'm not sure why I never even considered this, but as much as I love reading that type of relationship, personally it didn't work for me here. There was no questioning that although in his mid 20s, Fielding was sweet and innocent. But his portrayal was also more childlike than I was comfortable with. I guess my personal taste when I read M/m is to have a more equal footing, even if there is a power exchange.
Second, I felt as if there was too much history that I needed to have in order to truly appreciate the story. Being the first in a series, even a spin-off series, I assumed I would be ok with this being my first book by the author. However, there were too many characters and unconventional relationships for me to follow. Just because someone called another "brother" didn't mean they were related. Except when they were. Add in several people referring to their partners as "Daddies" and I was completely upside down in what was going on behind the scenes or how everyone meshed together. I'm sure if I had read the other books I would have appreciated what was going on the in the secondary characters' lives, but instead I was just confused.
Finally, the premise of the town and all supporting characters was a bit much for me to believe. Where is this town that seems to have practically no women? All of the men had one or more husbands, and while intriguing, it came off as odd to me.
For fans of this author, I'm sure this will be a hit because the storyline was interesting. But too many factors here combined to make it confusing and distracting to me.
November 3, 2019
I have some serious issues with this book.
Let's start with the fact that I don't like BDSM stories and rarely read such books. Even so, I do it from time to time and I even like some of them. But everything was wrong in this one.
I think I have to start with the characters. We have two very wounded men here (of course if we ignore the whole bunch of supporting characters, none of whom had a normal life). Both are struggling with some emotional problems which, according to me, cannot be solved overnight. Of course, it is romance novel and love must solve all problems, and I understand it, but I think that the whole story becomes a little shallow because of that. Fielding especially worries me.
I am also disappointed with the suspense. These guys are really just brainless muscles. Stalker is a hundred times smarter than them. He leads them all the time and does what he wants, and they can't do anything. They only make some really stupid mistakes. It's really frustrating.
I was expecting something completely different and I'm disappointed. Although there will probably be many people who will like this book. This is definitely not my thing. I don't plan to read more books in this series.
Let's start with the fact that I don't like BDSM stories and rarely read such books. Even so, I do it from time to time and I even like some of them. But everything was wrong in this one.
I think I have to start with the characters. We have two very wounded men here (of course if we ignore the whole bunch of supporting characters, none of whom had a normal life). Both are struggling with some emotional problems which, according to me, cannot be solved overnight. Of course, it is romance novel and love must solve all problems, and I understand it, but I think that the whole story becomes a little shallow because of that. Fielding especially worries me.
I am also disappointed with the suspense. These guys are really just brainless muscles. Stalker is a hundred times smarter than them. He leads them all the time and does what he wants, and they can't do anything. They only make some really stupid mistakes. It's really frustrating.
I was expecting something completely different and I'm disappointed. Although there will probably be many people who will like this book. This is definitely not my thing. I don't plan to read more books in this series.
November 11, 2019
I’m on a “stalker trope” kick and this sounded perfect. Unfortunately the blurb was better than the book itself. The story was lacking something and it was hard to follow who was talking at times.
April 12, 2018
I've never read anything by the author so far, so this was a impulsive plot-buy. Because the plot - with using the older bodyguard with a troubled past meets younger innocent man he has to protect - was just what I wanted and needed. I love plots like this one, and I really wanted to like this book. It just didn't work out.
What I liked:
- The idea of Livingston as a character. The past, the scars, his personality. All a bit heavy on the drama side but right up my street.
- The insight into Livingstons backstory the author provides. It explained his character well.
- The promise of a good bodyguard/hero saves the day story with a bit of hot and dirty kink (notice that I used the word promise here...).
- The stalker storyline was nice enough as a plot device.
What I didn't like:
- The writing style. Honestly, it felt so jumbled and everything but smooth. With stories such as this, I want to dive into them, but it wasn't possible. I struggled with keeping track, the dialouge was always quite hard to follow and sometimes I had no idea who was talking although I constantly backtracked and read parts and sentences again.
- The amount of non-MC characters thrown into the mix. I am aware that there are other books by the author, that they are all somehow connected, but I am not fond of the fact that what felt like 20+ persons were thrown my way without much of an explanation. It just distracted from the general story and made it hard to follow the whole thing.
- The relationship between Liv and Fielding. You know, I do get the Daddy kink. It is not my favourite cup of tea, but when it is well written, it doesn't bother me. But it wasn't well written. Fielding has no idea what he is getting himself into. He never had a choice before in his life, so following orders comes natural to him but only because he has no idea he is allowed to say no! I wished there would have been a part during which Liv explains it all (the kink and what it means) to Fielding in a simple way. But no, didn't happen. Instead, poor virginal Fielding has a rough first time with a lot of crying. Gave me the creeps.
I really wanted to like this book; the plot sounded perfect for me. It just didn't work out. There are some issues I can't ignore and I will probably refrain from reading more books by the author. There are different books by different writers which are more my cup of tea.
What I liked:
- The idea of Livingston as a character. The past, the scars, his personality. All a bit heavy on the drama side but right up my street.
- The insight into Livingstons backstory the author provides. It explained his character well.
- The promise of a good bodyguard/hero saves the day story with a bit of hot and dirty kink (notice that I used the word promise here...).
- The stalker storyline was nice enough as a plot device.
What I didn't like:
- The writing style. Honestly, it felt so jumbled and everything but smooth. With stories such as this, I want to dive into them, but it wasn't possible. I struggled with keeping track, the dialouge was always quite hard to follow and sometimes I had no idea who was talking although I constantly backtracked and read parts and sentences again.
- The amount of non-MC characters thrown into the mix. I am aware that there are other books by the author, that they are all somehow connected, but I am not fond of the fact that what felt like 20+ persons were thrown my way without much of an explanation. It just distracted from the general story and made it hard to follow the whole thing.
- The relationship between Liv and Fielding. You know, I do get the Daddy kink. It is not my favourite cup of tea, but when it is well written, it doesn't bother me. But it wasn't well written. Fielding has no idea what he is getting himself into. He never had a choice before in his life, so following orders comes natural to him but only because he has no idea he is allowed to say no! I wished there would have been a part during which Liv explains it all (the kink and what it means) to Fielding in a simple way. But no, didn't happen. Instead, poor virginal Fielding has a rough first time with a lot of crying. Gave me the creeps.
I really wanted to like this book; the plot sounded perfect for me. It just didn't work out. There are some issues I can't ignore and I will probably refrain from reading more books by the author. There are different books by different writers which are more my cup of tea.
March 6, 2018
I honestly wanted to throat punch Liv through the book! Your boy loves you let him love you. He doesn’t see the scars stop punishing him for others stupidity. As usual JM doesn’t fail I missed seeing the rest of the crew but they were mentioned in a peripheral way so I’ll deal I just hope we see more of them in other books.
Plus I love the intro of the new characters like Uber perfect fire chief!! Powers gonna live on!!
Plus I love the intro of the new characters like Uber perfect fire chief!! Powers gonna live on!!
March 19, 2018
This is going to be short.
I think Fielding is too naive, innocent and childlike. From the first moment, he seems very subdue, which is not what I'm looking for. Even when I'm reading about D/s relationship, I prefer a submissive who is sassy, mouthy and know how to give as good as he gets.
I think Fielding is too naive, innocent and childlike. From the first moment, he seems very subdue, which is not what I'm looking for. Even when I'm reading about D/s relationship, I prefer a submissive who is sassy, mouthy and know how to give as good as he gets.
March 6, 2018
REVIEWED FOR LOVE BYTES
3.5 Stars
This is book 1 in JM Dabney’s new Trenton Security series. Although a new series those familiar with this author will recognise a lot of the characters as it’s a continuation of the world Dabney has built her two previous series of books around.
Francis Livingston or Liv as he is to his few precious friends comes from a torturous background and it’s that very thing that starts this story off. From its bleak set up this story show us how Liv has become the man that he is today, it shows his fears, his nightmares and his loneliness. He’s the member of the team who takes on the riskiest of jobs because in all honesty he’s not bothered if he comes home or not – oftentimes death seems like the better option to him.
Until he meets his latest babysitting job – a job he is none too happy to be given!
Fielding Haskell is a product of his own success, or rather his parents strict regime, and he is also their meal ticket. Since he’s been able to breathe his parents have used, abused and manipulated Fielding into a career that has left him miserable whilst they live a very comfortable life off the proceeds of his hard work. He hates his job with a passion and now it seems he has picked up a stalker and it’s become bad enough that he needs to be hidden away for a few months with a bodyguard in the middle of nowhere.
I liked both these characters. Liv was rough and gruff on the outside but you could almost feel his need to be loved and really seen for who he was and not for just what marked his skin. His coldness and hard attitude were there as a cover to keep his heart safe and when Fielding was literally dropped into his lap the cracks began to appear. Fielding was innocence personified and used to having no freedoms at all. Because of his innocence I felt he took to his dirty mouthed kinky side just too quickly – it didn’t flow – one minute he knew nothing and the next minute he was putting on a show in the woods. I liked his tenacity when it came to wearing Liv down but I did begin to wonder toward the end if Liv would ever agree to say yes.
This was a steady start to a new series and the characters that will be coming up next are a varied bunch that will make for some interesting stories in the future.
3.5 Stars
This is book 1 in JM Dabney’s new Trenton Security series. Although a new series those familiar with this author will recognise a lot of the characters as it’s a continuation of the world Dabney has built her two previous series of books around.
Francis Livingston or Liv as he is to his few precious friends comes from a torturous background and it’s that very thing that starts this story off. From its bleak set up this story show us how Liv has become the man that he is today, it shows his fears, his nightmares and his loneliness. He’s the member of the team who takes on the riskiest of jobs because in all honesty he’s not bothered if he comes home or not – oftentimes death seems like the better option to him.
Until he meets his latest babysitting job – a job he is none too happy to be given!
Fielding Haskell is a product of his own success, or rather his parents strict regime, and he is also their meal ticket. Since he’s been able to breathe his parents have used, abused and manipulated Fielding into a career that has left him miserable whilst they live a very comfortable life off the proceeds of his hard work. He hates his job with a passion and now it seems he has picked up a stalker and it’s become bad enough that he needs to be hidden away for a few months with a bodyguard in the middle of nowhere.
I liked both these characters. Liv was rough and gruff on the outside but you could almost feel his need to be loved and really seen for who he was and not for just what marked his skin. His coldness and hard attitude were there as a cover to keep his heart safe and when Fielding was literally dropped into his lap the cracks began to appear. Fielding was innocence personified and used to having no freedoms at all. Because of his innocence I felt he took to his dirty mouthed kinky side just too quickly – it didn’t flow – one minute he knew nothing and the next minute he was putting on a show in the woods. I liked his tenacity when it came to wearing Liv down but I did begin to wonder toward the end if Liv would ever agree to say yes.
This was a steady start to a new series and the characters that will be coming up next are a varied bunch that will make for some interesting stories in the future.
March 6, 2018
OMG
this was another amazing book buy an awesome author. the pain that Livingston had, I felt it through the whole book. I am glad that he got his forever and he has a man that loves and adores him. Can't wait for the next book.
this was another amazing book buy an awesome author. the pain that Livingston had, I felt it through the whole book. I am glad that he got his forever and he has a man that loves and adores him. Can't wait for the next book.
Read
March 10, 2018
It's me, not the book.
DNF... not cos the story was bad but because a giant pet-peeve of mine is when the book I'm reading is nothing more than a giant melting-pot of past books and characters I've never read. I feel misdirected by the #1 next to the title that indicated it was the first in a series and not a continuation or an add-on of other books.
Seeing these cameos doesn't pique my interest in other books. It makes me feel alienated and discourages me from finishing the book because of these giant plot holes created by insignificant to me secondary characters. The cameos are great for the fan-girls but not so much for the newbies trying to find a new author.
DNF... not cos the story was bad but because a giant pet-peeve of mine is when the book I'm reading is nothing more than a giant melting-pot of past books and characters I've never read. I feel misdirected by the #1 next to the title that indicated it was the first in a series and not a continuation or an add-on of other books.
Seeing these cameos doesn't pique my interest in other books. It makes me feel alienated and discourages me from finishing the book because of these giant plot holes created by insignificant to me secondary characters. The cameos are great for the fan-girls but not so much for the newbies trying to find a new author.
May 20, 2018
3.5 I love me some Daddy kink, and while this one did have its issues I felt good about the couple at the end. Review to follow.
March 7, 2018
Livingston is tasked with guarding sweet little Fielding. He knows his scarred looks will scare the poor kid. Thrust together in a small little cabin, They both feel the attraction. Liv has seen and endured to much, Fielding, an actor, has no life experience out side of his parents rigid rules to make him a star. Two men as different as can possibly be. What they find is beautiful.
Well meaning crazy people, a truly crazy stalker, and lollipops make this another welcome addition to the Powers, Georgia universe.
********Side Note**********
I have personal issues with burns, that made me think hard about reading this book. Not as graphic as I thought it might be, but still very uncomfortable to read in spots. I also had to think hard about this review because I didn't want my issues to cloud it. That said, it's the background of the book not the forefront.
Well meaning crazy people, a truly crazy stalker, and lollipops make this another welcome addition to the Powers, Georgia universe.
********Side Note**********
I have personal issues with burns, that made me think hard about reading this book. Not as graphic as I thought it might be, but still very uncomfortable to read in spots. I also had to think hard about this review because I didn't want my issues to cloud it. That said, it's the background of the book not the forefront.
March 10, 2018
A fantastic ending. A Beast is never horrific and Livingston proved that.
Fielding was Beauty, but hated his life and his looks. He lived on touch, the feel of texture underneath his fingers, but was always told not to be so clingy.
Fielding is Liv’s perfect boy but Liv needs to get past the assumption that he thinks a life with him is not worth living. He is wrong and Fielding shows his why. Along with Peaches because she just rocks.
I love the Crews and Brawlers so this was a great spin off to the boys.
Fielding was Beauty, but hated his life and his looks. He lived on touch, the feel of texture underneath his fingers, but was always told not to be so clingy.
Fielding is Liv’s perfect boy but Liv needs to get past the assumption that he thinks a life with him is not worth living. He is wrong and Fielding shows his why. Along with Peaches because she just rocks.
I love the Crews and Brawlers so this was a great spin off to the boys.
March 17, 2018
Loves: The heat, the tortured hero trope, the badassness, and the intriguing secondary characters.
Likes: Moderate amount of intrigue, nothing terribly detracting from the romance.
Peeves: some OTT drama and a few minor editing errors.
Overall, I'm not only going to read the next one, I am going back and bookmarking ALL of this author's works.
Likes: Moderate amount of intrigue, nothing terribly detracting from the romance.
Peeves: some OTT drama and a few minor editing errors.
Overall, I'm not only going to read the next one, I am going back and bookmarking ALL of this author's works.
November 3, 2024
I really couldn’t get into Livingston I found the characters unlikeable and the plot line all over the place which is why I did not finish it something that is very rare for me.
March 8, 2018
Livingston: Not the best example of Daddy kink about, but also not the worst.
Okay, hands up all those that read Twirled World Ink, Brawlers Series, and the Executioners spin off and liked them?
I freely admit I’ve read almost all of them. I loved Twirled World Ink. I also enjoyed some of the other books from the Brawlers and Executioners spinoffs, but I’ve been in mixed minds about a few of the later installments, including Sin and Saint, the last in the Executioners installment.
I’ll be honest, I DNF S&S, I gave up just over a quarter of the way through, it was hard reading and while I Love a GOOD Daddy kink, S&S wasn’t one of them. I found the guys in S&S hard to connect with, the execution of the Daddie genre generally lack-lustre and missing...something, and more than a little annoying to read, hence the DFN. That’s my own personal opinion and to each their own, because there are lots of fans out there that liked the story.
Straight up I just wanna say I’ve read a lot of both good and bad Daddy kink, both straight and gay erotica fiction. Well written Daddy kink is hellish hot and fabulous to read, whether gay or straight. Badly written Daddy kink is unbelievably painful to read, and mostly just sheds a poor light on the whole dynamic and makes me wanna spank someone.
I also wanna say I’m largely a J. M. Dabney fan, despite her hit and miss score card. It would be hypocritical of me to read so many of her books and then deny liking her work overall, even if I didn’t enjoy all of them, so, when I saw Livingston up for pre order, I snapped that baby up because the glimpses we got of him through Trenton Security, intrigued me enough to want to know more.
And now that I’ve read it, I think this is where I’m again in two minds as to whether to grumble or cry at the missed opportunity.
Livingston should have been a great story. Nothing wrong with the tried and true troupe. Older tortured bodyguard hero, meets younger needy film star hero. They meet, and shag like bunnies and fall in love, while trying to dodge the crazed stalker. Oscar winning plot, except...the winner goes to someone else.
Livingston could have been an excellent story, it certainly had the opportunity to be one, because Livingston was just so charismatic. Despite being so grumpy, Liv, was a very likable underdog, who went onto honorably serve his country and later, work for Trenton Security where he formed lifelong friendships with other men and women and their kids, in-spite of his god awful childhood. I loved him as a character. It’s hard not to love a leading MC hero, who is emotionally fragile with a tortured abused childhood, and who at 38, still has a truck load of PTSD demons and yet remains protective of those weaker than him, is unfailingly loyal to his friends and family, and is looking for ‘the one’ despite believing he’d never find it. Chuck in his disfiguring injuries and yep, the guy was a total superhero needing the love of his life. His fall down was his inability to communicate effectively. I blame Dabney for that obviously.
In comes Fielding, at 23 he’s a young man apparently with the world at his feet. An emotionally starved young adult adapt at surviving being manipulated all his life, he was quiet, shy, innocent, lonely and weak and so far under the parents thumb, I wondered whether he used the bathroom at his own volition. I should by rights have liked him too, because he was emotionally fragile, needing someone to ‘save’ him, looking to love someone and had a huge capacity of love inside him just wanting to burst free, and yet I struggled to connect with him. As a MC, his lack of any skerrick of emotional strength to change his life, despite not being a victim of anything other than controlling parents riding his coattails, was probably what sank his boat for me. He took ‘doormat’ to a whole new level with his absolute lack of a backbone when there was no real reason why he couldn’t stand up for himself or at least try to. He too lacked any capacity to openly communicate, though I could see he tried, and his lack of initiative at raising difficult conversations wasn’t all his fault. Being told by Liv, who held all the power that he could only ask ‘one question’, is quite telling isn’t it?
On a positive note, I did like Fielding’s desire to please Liv though, but it really was not explored enough in the plot to really highlight the whole Daddy/Boy/subby dynamic Dabney was aiming for.
Then things for me really fell apart, when I found myself comparing Fielding’s charmed rich life to Liv’s, in my mind I was like, man up Fielding and grow a pair.... which took away from his whole ‘emotionally starved, poor little lost rich kid’ character and right then I realised my enjoyment of the novel was diminishing fast. Not even the presence of a crazed stalker saved Fielding as a character, and yeah, I admit that might be my bad as well for being so harsh.
Then things got...kinda weirder.
While there were hints of it popping up early in the story, (so I recognised that a Daddy/Boy theme was the basis of the emerging relationship dynamic between Liv and Fielding) just before the two men finally get horizontal together, kaboom...some serious angry, obnoxious controlling Daddy kink appeared. I wasn’t entirely surprised nor unhappy that Dabney was trying her hand at Daddy kink again, despite my dissatisfaction of S&S, no doubt there are fans out there that loved S&S.
Personally, I freely admit I love me some WELL written Daddy kink, but I thought this time around, the whole Daddy/Boy plot kinda missed the boat...again.
For me, where this dynamic fell apart as a realistic relationship between two adults, was due to Fielding’s complete and utter ignorance of that lifestyle, so sheltered was he, the man totally had no idea what the dynamic stood for in a consenting adult relationship, nor what it meant for him as the Boy in said relationship. I mean the guy was an innocent and completely clueless and really, even at the end, he still had no real understanding of what it all entailed. Even he admitted that in his own monologue.
What WOULD have been totally smoking hot, was say, if Daddy Liv, being the older, more experienced man (with sex and kink lifestyle), explained the whole Daddy/Boy dynamic to Fielding, in reader friendly layman’s terms so the young man could have understood and participated in deciding if he was interested in becoming Liv’s Boy, and then Fielding, understanding his mega crush and absolute hero worship of Liv, put him totally on track to become a good Boy going ‘Yes, please Daddy’.
Dabney could have rescued the story right there, early on, with some talking between our heroes, *gasp* I know, shocking idea, but sadly that didn’t happen. What did happen was some unexpectedly rough 1st time sex with the shy, ignorant virgin, which totally threw me and spoiled the Daddy/Boy vibe trying to develop between the two guys.
So yeah, poorly executed and rather skewiffed BDSM/kinky fiction like J. M. Dabney’s latest novel Livingston, is why GOOD Daddy/Boy kink romance/erotica is light on the shelves and subject to less than fabulous reviews by unhappy campers, such as myself. On a positive note the plot for the stalker was reasonably sound, and resolved as expected.
Upcoming books likely will be the very, very needy Little, then possibly Pure. As a die hard Dabney fan, who is more forgiving than you’d expect given this review, I’ll likely read them. I just hope and pray there’s no more Daddies
Okay, hands up all those that read Twirled World Ink, Brawlers Series, and the Executioners spin off and liked them?
I freely admit I’ve read almost all of them. I loved Twirled World Ink. I also enjoyed some of the other books from the Brawlers and Executioners spinoffs, but I’ve been in mixed minds about a few of the later installments, including Sin and Saint, the last in the Executioners installment.
I’ll be honest, I DNF S&S, I gave up just over a quarter of the way through, it was hard reading and while I Love a GOOD Daddy kink, S&S wasn’t one of them. I found the guys in S&S hard to connect with, the execution of the Daddie genre generally lack-lustre and missing...something, and more than a little annoying to read, hence the DFN. That’s my own personal opinion and to each their own, because there are lots of fans out there that liked the story.
Straight up I just wanna say I’ve read a lot of both good and bad Daddy kink, both straight and gay erotica fiction. Well written Daddy kink is hellish hot and fabulous to read, whether gay or straight. Badly written Daddy kink is unbelievably painful to read, and mostly just sheds a poor light on the whole dynamic and makes me wanna spank someone.
I also wanna say I’m largely a J. M. Dabney fan, despite her hit and miss score card. It would be hypocritical of me to read so many of her books and then deny liking her work overall, even if I didn’t enjoy all of them, so, when I saw Livingston up for pre order, I snapped that baby up because the glimpses we got of him through Trenton Security, intrigued me enough to want to know more.
And now that I’ve read it, I think this is where I’m again in two minds as to whether to grumble or cry at the missed opportunity.
Livingston should have been a great story. Nothing wrong with the tried and true troupe. Older tortured bodyguard hero, meets younger needy film star hero. They meet, and shag like bunnies and fall in love, while trying to dodge the crazed stalker. Oscar winning plot, except...the winner goes to someone else.
Livingston could have been an excellent story, it certainly had the opportunity to be one, because Livingston was just so charismatic. Despite being so grumpy, Liv, was a very likable underdog, who went onto honorably serve his country and later, work for Trenton Security where he formed lifelong friendships with other men and women and their kids, in-spite of his god awful childhood. I loved him as a character. It’s hard not to love a leading MC hero, who is emotionally fragile with a tortured abused childhood, and who at 38, still has a truck load of PTSD demons and yet remains protective of those weaker than him, is unfailingly loyal to his friends and family, and is looking for ‘the one’ despite believing he’d never find it. Chuck in his disfiguring injuries and yep, the guy was a total superhero needing the love of his life. His fall down was his inability to communicate effectively. I blame Dabney for that obviously.
In comes Fielding, at 23 he’s a young man apparently with the world at his feet. An emotionally starved young adult adapt at surviving being manipulated all his life, he was quiet, shy, innocent, lonely and weak and so far under the parents thumb, I wondered whether he used the bathroom at his own volition. I should by rights have liked him too, because he was emotionally fragile, needing someone to ‘save’ him, looking to love someone and had a huge capacity of love inside him just wanting to burst free, and yet I struggled to connect with him. As a MC, his lack of any skerrick of emotional strength to change his life, despite not being a victim of anything other than controlling parents riding his coattails, was probably what sank his boat for me. He took ‘doormat’ to a whole new level with his absolute lack of a backbone when there was no real reason why he couldn’t stand up for himself or at least try to. He too lacked any capacity to openly communicate, though I could see he tried, and his lack of initiative at raising difficult conversations wasn’t all his fault. Being told by Liv, who held all the power that he could only ask ‘one question’, is quite telling isn’t it?
On a positive note, I did like Fielding’s desire to please Liv though, but it really was not explored enough in the plot to really highlight the whole Daddy/Boy/subby dynamic Dabney was aiming for.
Then things for me really fell apart, when I found myself comparing Fielding’s charmed rich life to Liv’s, in my mind I was like, man up Fielding and grow a pair.... which took away from his whole ‘emotionally starved, poor little lost rich kid’ character and right then I realised my enjoyment of the novel was diminishing fast. Not even the presence of a crazed stalker saved Fielding as a character, and yeah, I admit that might be my bad as well for being so harsh.
Then things got...kinda weirder.
While there were hints of it popping up early in the story, (so I recognised that a Daddy/Boy theme was the basis of the emerging relationship dynamic between Liv and Fielding) just before the two men finally get horizontal together, kaboom...some serious angry, obnoxious controlling Daddy kink appeared. I wasn’t entirely surprised nor unhappy that Dabney was trying her hand at Daddy kink again, despite my dissatisfaction of S&S, no doubt there are fans out there that loved S&S.
Personally, I freely admit I love me some WELL written Daddy kink, but I thought this time around, the whole Daddy/Boy plot kinda missed the boat...again.
For me, where this dynamic fell apart as a realistic relationship between two adults, was due to Fielding’s complete and utter ignorance of that lifestyle, so sheltered was he, the man totally had no idea what the dynamic stood for in a consenting adult relationship, nor what it meant for him as the Boy in said relationship. I mean the guy was an innocent and completely clueless and really, even at the end, he still had no real understanding of what it all entailed. Even he admitted that in his own monologue.
What WOULD have been totally smoking hot, was say, if Daddy Liv, being the older, more experienced man (with sex and kink lifestyle), explained the whole Daddy/Boy dynamic to Fielding, in reader friendly layman’s terms so the young man could have understood and participated in deciding if he was interested in becoming Liv’s Boy, and then Fielding, understanding his mega crush and absolute hero worship of Liv, put him totally on track to become a good Boy going ‘Yes, please Daddy’.
Dabney could have rescued the story right there, early on, with some talking between our heroes, *gasp* I know, shocking idea, but sadly that didn’t happen. What did happen was some unexpectedly rough 1st time sex with the shy, ignorant virgin, which totally threw me and spoiled the Daddy/Boy vibe trying to develop between the two guys.
So yeah, poorly executed and rather skewiffed BDSM/kinky fiction like J. M. Dabney’s latest novel Livingston, is why GOOD Daddy/Boy kink romance/erotica is light on the shelves and subject to less than fabulous reviews by unhappy campers, such as myself. On a positive note the plot for the stalker was reasonably sound, and resolved as expected.
Upcoming books likely will be the very, very needy Little, then possibly Pure. As a die hard Dabney fan, who is more forgiving than you’d expect given this review, I’ll likely read them. I just hope and pray there’s no more Daddies
March 18, 2018
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
This cover captivated me at first glance. The main focus is on a man in the foreground. He is shirtless and appears battle- or life- scarred. There's a shadowed figure lurking in the background that adds an air of intrigue, suspense, and a hint of danger. The synopsis seems to support the cover nicely. I've not read anything from this author previously so I will be going into this completely unbiased but with much anticipation.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
This may be the first book in the series, but it featured an entire cast of already established secondary characters (Trenton Security co-workers as well as other people in town) with backstories in previous books from another series that left the reader feeling like they had missed out on quite a bit even though Liv and Fielding's story could stand on its own. Some of the cast have already coupled but I felt like Liv should already be known and that the only one that had NOT been introduced to this author's readers yet was Fielding (and his set of secondaries). I was a little frustrated and disappointed by the fact that the reader was not forewarned that they'd essentially be arriving late to the party.
That said, Liv was a scarred man inside and out. He worked the jobs at Trenton Security that no one else wanted because he just did not care if he lived or died. So, when he was assigned a bodyguard job for a rising star with a serious stalker issue, imagine how opposed he was... until Fielding deplaned and ticked all of Liv's boxes.
Fielding was an up-and-coming star, according to his micromanaging parents and agent. From his appearance; clothing, hair, diet, exercise, all of it - to every aspect of his life; lack of friends, overlooking that he's gay by making him date women, not allowing him any breathing room for himself AT TWENTY THREE YEARS OF AGE... Fielding needed a break from all the "pampered" lifestyle.
The chemistry was okay, they seemed to fit together well. The dialogue, at times, felt a little scripted and forced. The plot was interesting and I loved the concept, I just wished, with as integral as many of the secondary characters were, that I'd gotten to know them before this so I did not feel like an interloper. The story flowed well and the pages turned very quickly. There were some internal conflicts that could have been avoided way earlier by simply growing a spine and/or some balls. Other conflicts were a little more complicated. The stalker issue had a few plot holes and raised a few questions, but to address them I could unintentionally leak a spoiler and I'll not do that. Let's just say some of the stalker's actions did not add up for me. Predictability was fairly non-existent. The conclusion is solid and satisfying.
Overall, I think this was a great story and I probably would have enjoyed it even better if I'd read the series in which THIS one was SPUN OFF of.
.
Rating: [R+] ~ Score: 4.075 ~ Stars: 4
Giving this one an R+ rating for a scene (flashback) of childhood abuse / torture resulting in lifelong trauma and injury, kidnapping, a brief scene of consensual rough sex between adults; including fisting. MAY CONTAIN POSSIBLE TRIGGERS.
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Vibrant Promotions and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
This cover captivated me at first glance. The main focus is on a man in the foreground. He is shirtless and appears battle- or life- scarred. There's a shadowed figure lurking in the background that adds an air of intrigue, suspense, and a hint of danger. The synopsis seems to support the cover nicely. I've not read anything from this author previously so I will be going into this completely unbiased but with much anticipation.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
This may be the first book in the series, but it featured an entire cast of already established secondary characters (Trenton Security co-workers as well as other people in town) with backstories in previous books from another series that left the reader feeling like they had missed out on quite a bit even though Liv and Fielding's story could stand on its own. Some of the cast have already coupled but I felt like Liv should already be known and that the only one that had NOT been introduced to this author's readers yet was Fielding (and his set of secondaries). I was a little frustrated and disappointed by the fact that the reader was not forewarned that they'd essentially be arriving late to the party.
That said, Liv was a scarred man inside and out. He worked the jobs at Trenton Security that no one else wanted because he just did not care if he lived or died. So, when he was assigned a bodyguard job for a rising star with a serious stalker issue, imagine how opposed he was... until Fielding deplaned and ticked all of Liv's boxes.
Fielding was an up-and-coming star, according to his micromanaging parents and agent. From his appearance; clothing, hair, diet, exercise, all of it - to every aspect of his life; lack of friends, overlooking that he's gay by making him date women, not allowing him any breathing room for himself AT TWENTY THREE YEARS OF AGE... Fielding needed a break from all the "pampered" lifestyle.
The chemistry was okay, they seemed to fit together well. The dialogue, at times, felt a little scripted and forced. The plot was interesting and I loved the concept, I just wished, with as integral as many of the secondary characters were, that I'd gotten to know them before this so I did not feel like an interloper. The story flowed well and the pages turned very quickly. There were some internal conflicts that could have been avoided way earlier by simply growing a spine and/or some balls. Other conflicts were a little more complicated. The stalker issue had a few plot holes and raised a few questions, but to address them I could unintentionally leak a spoiler and I'll not do that. Let's just say some of the stalker's actions did not add up for me. Predictability was fairly non-existent. The conclusion is solid and satisfying.
Overall, I think this was a great story and I probably would have enjoyed it even better if I'd read the series in which THIS one was SPUN OFF of.
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Rating: [R+] ~ Score: 4.075 ~ Stars: 4
Giving this one an R+ rating for a scene (flashback) of childhood abuse / torture resulting in lifelong trauma and injury, kidnapping, a brief scene of consensual rough sex between adults; including fisting. MAY CONTAIN POSSIBLE TRIGGERS.
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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Vibrant Promotions and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
March 18, 2018
3.5 Stars
This was a different read for me, I was immediately intrigued by the blurb, I love the damaged hero and opposites and yes this book has that but in the way I expected. Liv had a traumatic and painful start to life and has become a very hard man, he lives for work and doesn’t let people in. Fielding is an up and coming actor and has a beautiful face but has led a very limited life with his parents dictating his every move. When a stalker starts getting real and the threats escalate, Liv is assigned to protect Fielding. These two could not be more different and yet they find something together neither man expected.
I was intrigued by this story, I liked both of these guys and felt for them too. Liv, obviously, he endured such a horrifying childhood that left him with so many scars, inside and outside. But I also felt for Fielding, the live he’s lived hasn’t ever belonged to him, never making his own decisions or even having a piece of candy if he wanted one. He’s a cash cow for his parents and that is what matters. I liked Liv and Fielding together too, as odd as it might seem they fit together. My struggle was the daddy thing, I guess I don’t completely get it, it’s a little different to me. But I did like this story and the action and the relationship these two build because damn, if there are two characters who deserve happiness, whatever it means to them, it’s Liv and Fielding.
Exciting, bigger than life characters who hold nothing back, strong stories and action, I’m definitely curious about what is coming next for this group. I enjoyed this read and these characters and although it was a bit different for me, I loved Liv and Fielding!
This was a different read for me, I was immediately intrigued by the blurb, I love the damaged hero and opposites and yes this book has that but in the way I expected. Liv had a traumatic and painful start to life and has become a very hard man, he lives for work and doesn’t let people in. Fielding is an up and coming actor and has a beautiful face but has led a very limited life with his parents dictating his every move. When a stalker starts getting real and the threats escalate, Liv is assigned to protect Fielding. These two could not be more different and yet they find something together neither man expected.
I was intrigued by this story, I liked both of these guys and felt for them too. Liv, obviously, he endured such a horrifying childhood that left him with so many scars, inside and outside. But I also felt for Fielding, the live he’s lived hasn’t ever belonged to him, never making his own decisions or even having a piece of candy if he wanted one. He’s a cash cow for his parents and that is what matters. I liked Liv and Fielding together too, as odd as it might seem they fit together. My struggle was the daddy thing, I guess I don’t completely get it, it’s a little different to me. But I did like this story and the action and the relationship these two build because damn, if there are two characters who deserve happiness, whatever it means to them, it’s Liv and Fielding.
Exciting, bigger than life characters who hold nothing back, strong stories and action, I’m definitely curious about what is coming next for this group. I enjoyed this read and these characters and although it was a bit different for me, I loved Liv and Fielding!
March 6, 2018
MM Beauty and the Beast trope.
Liv is scarred with a rough childhood and he feels unworthy of Fielding who is a young up and coming actor.
I enjoyed the previous series so am looking forward to this new one.
Liv is scarred with a rough childhood and he feels unworthy of Fielding who is a young up and coming actor.
I enjoyed the previous series so am looking forward to this new one.
January 28, 2020
Very good
First book in new series, but characters from prior series are included.
Kindle, own, mystery, bodyguard, book in series, standalone, actor, Daddy kink, contemporary, military men
First book in new series, but characters from prior series are included.
Kindle, own, mystery, bodyguard, book in series, standalone, actor, Daddy kink, contemporary, military men
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