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Sub Mission #1
Sub Mission
With subs being murdered at a Miami BDSM club, experienced dominant Agent Seth Wilkinson must find his own submissive to “entice” a killer. When he’s paired with Agent Baker Daley he wonders just how much a straight man can fake.
Baker Daley knows he can “play the part”; he just needs a chance to prove it to Wilkinson. Being a straight man should have no bearing when his Domme has trained him well in the practice and lifestyle of submission. After all, this is just a job, right?
One scene. One intuitive Dom. One sassy sub. The game is afoot…in more ways than one.
As passions ignite and both men grapple with their internal desires, the mission begins to heat up. In a race against time, confusion and danger, they may just discover the greatest threat is to their hearts.
Baker Daley knows he can “play the part”; he just needs a chance to prove it to Wilkinson. Being a straight man should have no bearing when his Domme has trained him well in the practice and lifestyle of submission. After all, this is just a job, right?
One scene. One intuitive Dom. One sassy sub. The game is afoot…in more ways than one.
As passions ignite and both men grapple with their internal desires, the mission begins to heat up. In a race against time, confusion and danger, they may just discover the greatest threat is to their hearts.
221 pages, ebook
First published June 6, 2018
182 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
June 6, 2018
~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~I enjoyed this one quite a lot. It had a couple of smallish issues, but overall it was a pretty decent read. I'll tackle the two niggles I had with this one first. One of them was the annoying lack of communication between these two. If either of them had sat down and had a single conversation about how they were feeling instead of always a$$uming what the other meant, 99% of the drama could have been avoided. Of course, then there probably wouldn't have been a book..so what can you do? (lol). The second issue was that the mystery aspect about the subs being murdered was pretty much nonexistent. It is used as a way to bring the two main characters together, then at the end to separate them. The rest of the time the book was mainly focused on Baker's and Seth's growing relationship. They really only go to the BDSM club once, and it is off the page. Now, this didn't bother me much in the grand scheme of things, as the relationship kept me hooked, but I think the blurb implies that the murder mystery is the central focus of the book, and that is not the case. That said, the writing was still fantastic. It was very well paced. Despite the two issues I mentioned above, the plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. Last, it was all wrapped up in a satisfying ending.
~HEROES~
Both Seth and Baker were very likable heroes. Seth was alpha, and sexy. He was sweet. Maybe a little clueless at times. He was a fantastic Dom, and he was all about Baker from the start. Baker was also sweet. He was a virgin in terms of man on man sex. It took him a little longer to be all about Seth (not too long), but there was never any pushing away by either of these guys. Both of them were just very enjoyable characters.
~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There weren't a ton of secondary characters in this one, but the few we get intrigued me a lot. I'd love to read more about Landon. And I can't WAIT to read Ari and Eli's book. That last paragraph...woowee...that was smokin' hot!
~HEAT LEVEL~
High. There is a lot of kinky fuckery in this one, and I enjoyed every filthy minute of them. Obviously, 99% of the scenes were BDSM related. Spanking. Crawling. A whole slew of BDSM toys I have never heard of before (lol). That said, I did kind of wish there had been more scenes set in the club. Maybe Ari and Eli's book will have more.
~ANGST LEVEL - SEXUAL HISTORIES~
Low. This was one of those easy peasy insta love types of stories. Of sure there were a few bumps here and there, but nothing that really caused too much of an issue between the couple. Most of the angst came from me wanting to tie both of them to a chair and make them actually TALK to one another instead of just always a$$uming what the other was thinking and feeling. Neither were virgins (although Baker never had sex with a man prior to Seth). Honestly, neither sexual history was really brought up. In the beginning, Baker has a Domme he has been with, and honestly, I still have NO clue if their relationship was sexual in nature, or she just helped him stay focused through BDSM. At times I figured they must have but at others times Baker alludes to it as a "business" relationship, so really, I have no clue. It is not really an important aspect anyway (lol). There was also no OW or OM drama.
~IN THE END~
I enjoyed this one a lot. It had a couple small issues, but overall it was a super enjoyable read. It was well written and fast-paced. The plot was engaging. The characters, both man and secondary were extremely likable, and the sex was both hot and plentiful. Not much more I can say, really. Therefore yours truly is going to give this one two solid thumbs up.
June 11, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS
ARC BOOK REVIEW
Release Date-7/6/18
I have not read anything by this author before so was looking forward to the new experience.
"Sub Mission" and loving the pun on words; was a magnificent addition to its genre.
From the second I started reading this fascinating novel; I was sucked right along into the BDSM lifestyle of Seth and Baker; almost sharing the special journey to there own personal HEA with them.
The brief premise of this story is that Both work for a private agency that has been hired to draw out and apprehend perpetrators who are targeting wealthy male submissives.
Seth is a Dominant and Baker a Submissive; the twist here is that Seth is Gay and Baker not so much.
Baker has always had mistresses in the past; never a Master and from the minute these two meet it's not only Seth who is drawn like a moth to the flame.
"Sub Mission" is almost a journey of new depths and discovery for both our men and though we do have a suspenseful background here the main focus of the narrative I found was on the developing relationship between Agents Seth and Baker, and what a beautiful but of so kinky road they do travel; one that I equally enjoyed traversing along with them.
So this is plenty dirty and hot; with some very graphic descriptions, that got me hot under the collar; but were also incredibly romantic and heartfelt.
I could definitely feel the connection and threads that adhered these two lovers like glue.
I adored watching the ups and downs these two faced as they learned together through a series of miscommunications the importance of being honest with each other.
This is told in dual POV; has no OM or OW angst and though light on major secondary characters; I didn't feel that this was a detriment at all.
I loved the finish and especially how nicely it was set up for Eli and Ari's story; now that is definitely one I'm looking forward to.
This is one read that gets my seal of approval; it's well written and entertaining; what more could I ask for.
Thank You to the Author for providing me with an ARC of "Sub Mission" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
September 9, 2018
** 4.75 stars **
I loved the relationship between two men - Seth and Baker. Seth is an experienced Dom, he is arrogant, self-confident and anybody is his for the taking but he is not interested. But when he needs his skills to solve a murder case the one man who really fires up his blood is straight, Baker. Baker is a trained submissive, he is confident that he will get the job done. He never entertains the thought that he will find any man attractive, he never has before. But the first time Seth makes Baker fly both their worlds are turned topsy turvy. And they hide their burgeoning feelings behind sarcasm, misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Baker is thrust into the world of pleasure and subspace while Seth comes to grips with the fact that he is falling for "straight" man. I loved how their relationship played out - they were blowing hot and cold, rough and tender. Baker broke every rule he had, and Seth settled himself for a broken heart when everything is over.
I wish there was more intensity to the case. The villain was pretty obvious, and there was more personal relationship and exploration written then the case or any investigative work itself. I would have loved more chase and adrenaline. There were very good moments that made me nervous but I wanted more. But the rest of it was awesome and I really enjoyed myself.
The secondary characters are featured prominently and bring comic relief when both MCs are in high dudgeon. I loved friendly interactions and the banter. The ending was romantic and a set up for the second book, I think. Everything worked out nice for both Baker and Seth and it will sooth the romantic hearts to know how much they love and are committed to each other - you can't do better than a collar and a ring! So, the BDSM part is well-written but not overwhelming, romance is lovely but the police work and investigation are almost non-existent and I missed that! But everything else was enjoyable and I recommend it!
I loved the relationship between two men - Seth and Baker. Seth is an experienced Dom, he is arrogant, self-confident and anybody is his for the taking but he is not interested. But when he needs his skills to solve a murder case the one man who really fires up his blood is straight, Baker. Baker is a trained submissive, he is confident that he will get the job done. He never entertains the thought that he will find any man attractive, he never has before. But the first time Seth makes Baker fly both their worlds are turned topsy turvy. And they hide their burgeoning feelings behind sarcasm, misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Baker is thrust into the world of pleasure and subspace while Seth comes to grips with the fact that he is falling for "straight" man. I loved how their relationship played out - they were blowing hot and cold, rough and tender. Baker broke every rule he had, and Seth settled himself for a broken heart when everything is over.
I wish there was more intensity to the case. The villain was pretty obvious, and there was more personal relationship and exploration written then the case or any investigative work itself. I would have loved more chase and adrenaline. There were very good moments that made me nervous but I wanted more. But the rest of it was awesome and I really enjoyed myself.
The secondary characters are featured prominently and bring comic relief when both MCs are in high dudgeon. I loved friendly interactions and the banter. The ending was romantic and a set up for the second book, I think. Everything worked out nice for both Baker and Seth and it will sooth the romantic hearts to know how much they love and are committed to each other - you can't do better than a collar and a ring! So, the BDSM part is well-written but not overwhelming, romance is lovely but the police work and investigation are almost non-existent and I missed that! But everything else was enjoyable and I recommend it!
June 12, 2018
I came into this with low expectations and honestly just wanted to read about a sub getting his straight little mind blown by a hot dom.
And simply by those standards the book totally delivered. They get to the business of scening fast and there was a lot of kinky ass-play until I stopped reading. But that was also kind of the problem. This is also supposed to be a thriller about the hunt for a serial killer and by 46% they hadn't made any progress on that front.
They were too busy scening and angsting at each other. And I was willing to go along with that for the sake of the smut until this happened:
"Favorite book?" "The Mortal Instruments series, of course," he answered.
Aaaand I was out.
Listen I have no problem with authors inseriting some personal prefrences for food, books, movies, whatever into their work for character building. But it needs to fucking make sense. There is no way that this badass, martial arts trained, agent on a serial killer hunt names this series as his favorite with a straight face.
Add this to the sloppy, non-existent worldbuilding, the weak writing and I feel fine dropping this book at 49%.
And simply by those standards the book totally delivered. They get to the business of scening fast and there was a lot of kinky ass-play until I stopped reading. But that was also kind of the problem. This is also supposed to be a thriller about the hunt for a serial killer and by 46% they hadn't made any progress on that front.
They were too busy scening and angsting at each other. And I was willing to go along with that for the sake of the smut until this happened:
"Favorite book?" "The Mortal Instruments series, of course," he answered.
Aaaand I was out.
Listen I have no problem with authors inseriting some personal prefrences for food, books, movies, whatever into their work for character building. But it needs to fucking make sense. There is no way that this badass, martial arts trained, agent on a serial killer hunt names this series as his favorite with a straight face.
Add this to the sloppy, non-existent worldbuilding, the weak writing and I feel fine dropping this book at 49%.
June 8, 2018
This book was a mess! Inconsistencies in Baker's GFY for Seth. Both private security detectives were too emotionally involved with each other to be professional on the job. Simplistic lame wrap up of serial killer sting operation at 60%. BDSM stopped with the mission. Writing changed from doing to telling with time skips. Dynamics changed from hot sexual tension to mushy hurt comfort. Not enough relationship development. Emotional distancing then sappy OTT resolution. Too much page time for setup of new characters for next book.
June 7, 2018
Right from the beginning of T.S. McKinney’s Sub Mission, I loved the set-up. (And let me just add, what an appropriate title.) Agent Seth Wilkinson is a real life Dom who’s going undercover to capture a killer at a BDSM club. One catch – he needs a sub, as bait. And his boss has found the perfect man to “play the part”.
Only problem is, Seth finds himself highly attracted to Baker Daley who’s perfect in every way – except one. He’s straight. Oh, and there might be the slight detail that he has a Domme.
In order to be believable these two must first interact as Dom and sub, with unexpected results – scenes that are on fire without full-on sex… and a build-up of climactic proportions (pun intended)! Both men fight themselves and each other as they enjoy their encounters far more than just being “undercover”.
While enticing a killer they’re both playing the game. But in reality they are the pawns.
Baker’s internal struggle with his desire for another man, the way his body responds and his outward rebellion, are hot-as-fuck! He makes for one sassy sub who brings out the Dom in Seth. Meanwhile his humor about his circumstances gives a lightheartedness to his confusion. And Seth! He’s such an authoritative Dom but one who’s so intuitive, caring… and worries his own desires may be influencing Baker’s choices. His bewilderment at his missteps brings realism to his emotional conflict.
In a world full of danger, where you’re under cover to capture a killer, what happens when someone threatens someone you… “love”?
When these two do get physical, “experimenting”, the warring turmoil and intimacy is absolutely gut wrenching. The angst of wanting the same thing, while too ashamed to voice it, creates palpable tension and true desire. When Baker finally takes the lead, I thought I was going to lose my mind. Seth’s bafflement is so genuinely endearing that the whole scene made my heart and ovaries want to explode!
You can feel McKinney building the tempo throughout – you can anticipate what’s going to happen to make these men say it out loud. In a world full of danger, where you’re under cover to capture a killer, what happens when someone threatens someone you… “love”?
With a race against time, McKinney gives readers an explosive ending that leaves your heart dangling – one man waiting, another lost and longing – and re-captures it at just the right moment, as Baker does Seth’s.
I don’t even know how to describe how Sub Mission made me feel. It’s the perfect combination of everything: two men thrust together by circumstance, gay for you, BDSM, Dom/sub, hot sex, emotions that just bleed off the page. I got caught up in all of it – as badly as Seth and Baker do. What’s better than a confident Dom, and a disciplined sub with a little rebellious side? Hells yeah!
When you give it a read, listen to “Nervous” by Shawn Mendes and tell me it doesn’t describe Baker to a T!
And as much as I want more, much more, of Seth and Baker – please, McKinney, bring on Arizona’s story!
Only problem is, Seth finds himself highly attracted to Baker Daley who’s perfect in every way – except one. He’s straight. Oh, and there might be the slight detail that he has a Domme.
In order to be believable these two must first interact as Dom and sub, with unexpected results – scenes that are on fire without full-on sex… and a build-up of climactic proportions (pun intended)! Both men fight themselves and each other as they enjoy their encounters far more than just being “undercover”.
While enticing a killer they’re both playing the game. But in reality they are the pawns.
Baker’s internal struggle with his desire for another man, the way his body responds and his outward rebellion, are hot-as-fuck! He makes for one sassy sub who brings out the Dom in Seth. Meanwhile his humor about his circumstances gives a lightheartedness to his confusion. And Seth! He’s such an authoritative Dom but one who’s so intuitive, caring… and worries his own desires may be influencing Baker’s choices. His bewilderment at his missteps brings realism to his emotional conflict.
In a world full of danger, where you’re under cover to capture a killer, what happens when someone threatens someone you… “love”?
When these two do get physical, “experimenting”, the warring turmoil and intimacy is absolutely gut wrenching. The angst of wanting the same thing, while too ashamed to voice it, creates palpable tension and true desire. When Baker finally takes the lead, I thought I was going to lose my mind. Seth’s bafflement is so genuinely endearing that the whole scene made my heart and ovaries want to explode!
You can feel McKinney building the tempo throughout – you can anticipate what’s going to happen to make these men say it out loud. In a world full of danger, where you’re under cover to capture a killer, what happens when someone threatens someone you… “love”?
With a race against time, McKinney gives readers an explosive ending that leaves your heart dangling – one man waiting, another lost and longing – and re-captures it at just the right moment, as Baker does Seth’s.
I don’t even know how to describe how Sub Mission made me feel. It’s the perfect combination of everything: two men thrust together by circumstance, gay for you, BDSM, Dom/sub, hot sex, emotions that just bleed off the page. I got caught up in all of it – as badly as Seth and Baker do. What’s better than a confident Dom, and a disciplined sub with a little rebellious side? Hells yeah!
When you give it a read, listen to “Nervous” by Shawn Mendes and tell me it doesn’t describe Baker to a T!
And as much as I want more, much more, of Seth and Baker – please, McKinney, bring on Arizona’s story!
June 28, 2018
4.5 read. This is my first novel by T.s., and I love, really love the skill at play. The story is more relationship focused, throwing us straight into just why these two men have to go undercover together as Dom & sub. Now, how it looks at a love of D/s no matter the gender of the Dom/Domme, it did bring some lovely new angles to explore, and I loved the concept: exploring just how complex a BDSM relationship can be. Both are Doms and subs. That is not something they 'pretend' at for this case, which I'm really glad to see that T.s. used here.
I'd have loved to have seen the threat to the subs in general established from the beginning, just grab the reader and throw them straight into that crime edge and make it really visual as to why the need for Dom & sub to go undercover, but I'm questioning whether that's just more a darker need from a dark author.
On the writing side... I love McKinney's style. So many authors fall into lack of filtering issues, thickening the imagery so it can be like chewing hard toffee in order to get through and digest. McKinney's Language is so clear, making image processing really effortless. My only minor, and I mean minor sharpening point here would be with concept guiders: just reducing the 'He saw/felt/heard something." Once we're in the pov, the reader's aware of who's doing the seeing and feeling, so these can be filtered down and what's seen/heard shown to the reader: He heard the door come open behind him v The door came open behind him. So here... just that final fine-tuning by a very talented author!
Overall: Cracking BDSM story. Definitely recommended!
Disclaimer: I have no association to McKinney's publisher, either from an author or editor pov. I did request a copy of Sub Mission to review, as BDSM thrillers are my core genre to read, and I don't find them often, so I was kind of like "feed me, feed me now, Seymour." This review is written objectively, without bias.
I'd have loved to have seen the threat to the subs in general established from the beginning, just grab the reader and throw them straight into that crime edge and make it really visual as to why the need for Dom & sub to go undercover, but I'm questioning whether that's just more a darker need from a dark author.
On the writing side... I love McKinney's style. So many authors fall into lack of filtering issues, thickening the imagery so it can be like chewing hard toffee in order to get through and digest. McKinney's Language is so clear, making image processing really effortless. My only minor, and I mean minor sharpening point here would be with concept guiders: just reducing the 'He saw/felt/heard something." Once we're in the pov, the reader's aware of who's doing the seeing and feeling, so these can be filtered down and what's seen/heard shown to the reader: He heard the door come open behind him v The door came open behind him. So here... just that final fine-tuning by a very talented author!
Overall: Cracking BDSM story. Definitely recommended!
Disclaimer: I have no association to McKinney's publisher, either from an author or editor pov. I did request a copy of Sub Mission to review, as BDSM thrillers are my core genre to read, and I don't find them often, so I was kind of like "feed me, feed me now, Seymour." This review is written objectively, without bias.
July 11, 2018
Starts off well but by 40% is rapidly going downhill. The suspense plot might as well have not been included. There is very little of it, and what is there is poorly plotted and has holes big enough to fly the company jet through.
There is no background to the characters and no world building. We never learn anything about Seth and Baker except for the sex scenes and a few answers from their childish 20 questions game. It becomes more an more clear that the book was written by a female because the MCs are immature, inconsistent, bratty, and OTT mushy. What kind of tough guy private investigator, supposedly capable of stopping a serial killer, says things like ooey gooey feelings or calls another man Sweet Tart, Sweet, or Tart depending on that man's behavior? By the end of the book we essentially have two female MCs masquerading behind male names. Even the Dom was emasculated. Landon was more dominant than Seth.
The idea for the book could have been a great one. Other female writers have tackled similar concepts in gay romance and done a good job creating characters and plots. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark on all counts.
There is no background to the characters and no world building. We never learn anything about Seth and Baker except for the sex scenes and a few answers from their childish 20 questions game. It becomes more an more clear that the book was written by a female because the MCs are immature, inconsistent, bratty, and OTT mushy. What kind of tough guy private investigator, supposedly capable of stopping a serial killer, says things like ooey gooey feelings or calls another man Sweet Tart, Sweet, or Tart depending on that man's behavior? By the end of the book we essentially have two female MCs masquerading behind male names. Even the Dom was emasculated. Landon was more dominant than Seth.
The idea for the book could have been a great one. Other female writers have tackled similar concepts in gay romance and done a good job creating characters and plots. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark on all counts.
January 4, 2019
Enjoyed this!
I had zero expectations coming into this book. I randomly found it on Amazon KU and didn’t even look at the reviews before I read this. I was enticed by the short blurb and suffice to say, it delivered.
It’s not really a cop/investigation story. So there wasn’t a lot of investigative work going on. No late-night stake outs, no live action kicking going on (much). It’s also not really a BDSM-heavy kind of book. We get a few intense scenes. But if you’re worried (like Christine, a goodreads buddy) that’s it’s more pain than romance, fear not! It’s definitely more romance than pain 😉
The chemistry between Seth and Baker was palpable, probably not from the moment they met but definitely once they went “undercover”. It’s a relatively short book but it definitely tied things up really well. Even the pacing was perfect.
The one gripe I did have though was that the last bit of the epilogue was focused on another couple. I like Ari (short for Arizona) and I would have loved for him to have his own book only because he’s so sassy! But really?? Can’t we focus on Seth and Baker, please?? 🤦🏻♀️
I had zero expectations coming into this book. I randomly found it on Amazon KU and didn’t even look at the reviews before I read this. I was enticed by the short blurb and suffice to say, it delivered.
It’s not really a cop/investigation story. So there wasn’t a lot of investigative work going on. No late-night stake outs, no live action kicking going on (much). It’s also not really a BDSM-heavy kind of book. We get a few intense scenes. But if you’re worried (like Christine, a goodreads buddy) that’s it’s more pain than romance, fear not! It’s definitely more romance than pain 😉
The chemistry between Seth and Baker was palpable, probably not from the moment they met but definitely once they went “undercover”. It’s a relatively short book but it definitely tied things up really well. Even the pacing was perfect.
The one gripe I did have though was that the last bit of the epilogue was focused on another couple. I like Ari (short for Arizona) and I would have loved for him to have his own book only because he’s so sassy! But really?? Can’t we focus on Seth and Baker, please?? 🤦🏻♀️
June 9, 2018
This is not my first BDSM rodeo with TS McKinney and honestly this author is an expert when it comes to this subgenre. Sub Mission is very much a BDSM and romance focus story rather than a suspense one. Although from the blurb, it was explained that the reason Seth and Baker got together is for a mission, the job itself was relegated to the backseat. That's not to say the plot isn't engaging because Seth and Baker's dynamic is the highlight of the story.
Both heroes are very personable and likeable after the initial awkward meeting. Baker is the straight guy who only had Domme but is willing to work with a Dom for the assignment. Baker is my favourite kind of sub, the one who loves to submit but also possess a mean backbone, a sassy mouth and manage to keep his Dom on his toes. Seth is the Dom, alpha and stoic at first glance, but inside lives a gooey heart that just loves his new sub and will everything to protect him. I like how he pushed Baker's limit by introducing him to new toys and gay sex, but at the same time giving Baker's absolute freedom to back out.
As with any D/s dynamic, things can be intense especially in the playroom and most of the first half of the book was dedicated to Seth exploring Baker's like and dislike. However, my favourite moments their back and forth banter. Yes, Seth is the one dishing out the punishment, but Baker gave as good as he gets at least verbally. The second half of the story contained less scene and more relationship issue. Whereby Baker had to admit that he might be gay and falling for a man and Seth trying to act cool and detached, but at the same time failing at it. Seeing them working out their feelings was very heartfelt and I'm glad to see them coming together at the end.
Both heroes are very personable and likeable after the initial awkward meeting. Baker is the straight guy who only had Domme but is willing to work with a Dom for the assignment. Baker is my favourite kind of sub, the one who loves to submit but also possess a mean backbone, a sassy mouth and manage to keep his Dom on his toes. Seth is the Dom, alpha and stoic at first glance, but inside lives a gooey heart that just loves his new sub and will everything to protect him. I like how he pushed Baker's limit by introducing him to new toys and gay sex, but at the same time giving Baker's absolute freedom to back out.
As with any D/s dynamic, things can be intense especially in the playroom and most of the first half of the book was dedicated to Seth exploring Baker's like and dislike. However, my favourite moments their back and forth banter. Yes, Seth is the one dishing out the punishment, but Baker gave as good as he gets at least verbally. The second half of the story contained less scene and more relationship issue. Whereby Baker had to admit that he might be gay and falling for a man and Seth trying to act cool and detached, but at the same time failing at it. Seeing them working out their feelings was very heartfelt and I'm glad to see them coming together at the end.
June 10, 2018
In hotness this was a 5 star book. The BDSM and sex scenes were delicious. The start really drew me in, and the characters were interesting. But unfortunately the rest of this book fell short. Why?
It may not sound like it but I do really like this authors writing style. It draws me in with all the wit and banter. But the story here was lacking and ultimately left me disappointed. But, damn. That cover is beautiful.
It may not sound like it but I do really like this authors writing style. It draws me in with all the wit and banter. But the story here was lacking and ultimately left me disappointed. But, damn. That cover is beautiful.
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October 26, 2019
The good: The MCs had chemistry, the intimate scenes were steamy hot and plentiful. They were the best part of the book.
The bad: Sure, the setup begs for suspension of belief right from the start—two agents need to have sex with each other in public to lure out a murderer... Bye reality, hello fantasyland. But I cannae handle TSTL main characters, and here they were in plural. Among other things they didn't at all behave as trained, professional agents. More like silly fifteen year olds.
Somewhere around the 80% mark I couldn't take more of the ridiculous plot, in spite of the hot sex.
The bad: Sure, the setup begs for suspension of belief right from the start—two agents need to have sex with each other in public to lure out a murderer... Bye reality, hello fantasyland. But I cannae handle TSTL main characters, and here they were in plural. Among other things they didn't at all behave as trained, professional agents. More like silly fifteen year olds.
Somewhere around the 80% mark I couldn't take more of the ridiculous plot, in spite of the hot sex.
July 18, 2018
In one word: Cute 💖. A GFY! I’m not really in the Bdsm but this book is good! So sweet together! I really love see them fall in love with each other! The mystery was a bit of a second thought in this ^^ ( I almost forgot about it 😂). Two hot men in a “special room” haha. Love it!:)
June 13, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up.
Thanks to the reviewers that pointed out this book was less a crime procedural finding a murderer, and more about the relationship between Seth and Baker, I went ahead and picked it up.
It was a good book but it had some issues that didn't make it a great book.
What went right? Fortunately both Seth and Baker are likable and engaging characters. The BDSM in the beginning of the book is on fire. The chemistry between the MC's is palpable. The sex scenes are believable and sexy as hell.
What went wrong? Like too many bdsm books, the bdsm starts off really strong and then gets put on the back-burner. For too much of the book we really only get mentions of it instead of the actual scenes like in the beginning. That is... disappointing. It's especially so since what takes up the rest of the book is miscommunication and ridiculous security detail plots. The club scene is asinine and makes everyone involved look like incompetent idiots but the "bait" plot really tries hard to beat that one.
So, enjoy the beginning, don't expect much sense out of your crime/security personnel/company plots and be ready to get really invested in secondary character Ari and you'll do okay getting to the end of the book.
Thanks to the reviewers that pointed out this book was less a crime procedural finding a murderer, and more about the relationship between Seth and Baker, I went ahead and picked it up.
It was a good book but it had some issues that didn't make it a great book.
What went right? Fortunately both Seth and Baker are likable and engaging characters. The BDSM in the beginning of the book is on fire. The chemistry between the MC's is palpable. The sex scenes are believable and sexy as hell.
What went wrong? Like too many bdsm books, the bdsm starts off really strong and then gets put on the back-burner. For too much of the book we really only get mentions of it instead of the actual scenes like in the beginning. That is... disappointing. It's especially so since what takes up the rest of the book is miscommunication and ridiculous security detail plots. The club scene is asinine and makes everyone involved look like incompetent idiots but the "bait" plot really tries hard to beat that one.
So, enjoy the beginning, don't expect much sense out of your crime/security personnel/company plots and be ready to get really invested in secondary character Ari and you'll do okay getting to the end of the book.
June 9, 2018
4.5 stars - What a little gem nugget this story is! Seth, being a well-known Dom, is the perfect agent to go undercover to catch the one responsible for maiming and murdering submissives. The problem has been finding the right agent to play the role of his sub and he hasn’t had much luck so far. Baker ends up being ideal for the job, almost. He’s the perfect submissive and sure to catch the eye of their target. Unfortunately, he isn’t gay, which Seth thinks will be a major problem. Baker is able to convince Seth to give him a chance, and the story starts off with a bang as Seth gives Baker a test run where Baker shows he is more than capable of handling whatever Seth can dish out.
What ensues is some megawatt chemistry that both men feel, but each tries to ignore for different reasons. Seth doesn’t want to get too attached knowing Baker is straight and even though he seems willing to try things, that’s all it is – experimenting. Baker, on the other hand, doesn’t question things for very long before he gives in to the realization that he is simply attracted to Seth. He realizes he doesn’t have experience being gay, but he’s more than willing to learn once he gives in to his attraction. It definitely takes some more convincing to get Seth fully on board though.
Much of this story is the budding relationship of these two, which was exciting, steamy and interesting to watch. Secondary to that is their mission of drawing out the criminal. It wasn’t too big a mystery, but it still added an interesting spin to the story. It was the growing relationship, BDSM and Seth showing Baker how much different things are with a Dom, as opposed to his usual Domme. I loved these guys! They really were perfect for each other. Unfortunately, they have some misunderstandings/miscommunications that could have easily cleared things up which got a little frustrating, but overall, this was a super enjoyable, super smexy story that definitely needs a follow up! We get a really interesting sneak peek and set up for another one, and I sure hope Ms. McKinney doesn’t make us wait too long for it.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
June 10, 2018
An entertaining and well-written story
Though the main characters get together for a mission, their relationship is the focus of the book, not the action/mystery. The internal struggle of the Dom being attracted to the “straight” sub, and the sub realizing maybe he’s not as straight as he thought, was done well, and the chemistry between them was great, both in and out of BDSM scenes.
The end of the story seemed to be setting up another one for a side character, which I will definitely be reading.
Though the main characters get together for a mission, their relationship is the focus of the book, not the action/mystery. The internal struggle of the Dom being attracted to the “straight” sub, and the sub realizing maybe he’s not as straight as he thought, was done well, and the chemistry between them was great, both in and out of BDSM scenes.
The end of the story seemed to be setting up another one for a side character, which I will definitely be reading.
June 7, 2018
Seth and Baker work for an unnamed government agency! There’s a killer on the loose in Miami torturing and killing Subs from a particular BDSM club!
They have the chemistry but there’s only one problem, Baker is straight!
This book is incredibly well written and very entertaining, even for such a dark topic. You’ll root for this couple and celebrate their triumph!
A must read! Well done!
They have the chemistry but there’s only one problem, Baker is straight!
This book is incredibly well written and very entertaining, even for such a dark topic. You’ll root for this couple and celebrate their triumph!
A must read! Well done!
June 23, 2018
DAYUM! This book was steamy hot in so many ways. Seth needs an agent to act as his sub to try to catch and stop a serial killer, and Baker is who is highly recommended. Seth isn't sure if he can cut it and holds an "audition" of sorts. Seth seems like a complete and total ass, but when we get to know him a bit and take the stress from the case away, he is actually a complete sweetheart. Baker is straight and has never had any interest in men, but he wants to catch the killer as well. He finds his time with Seth to be something he never experienced before, and found himself falling head over heels in love.
They had great chemistry, and I thought the book had a great balance between relationship building and action. I loved the whole team, and their boss Landon did a great job at communicating and understanding what was going on around them. I loved how Baker was a sub, but also sassy and a damn good agent in his own right. Seth was a huge macho Dom alpha guy, but when Baker/his relationship was threatened, he crumbled and crushed in on himself. They were both complete opposites yet so very similar. They were a perfect pair. I absolutely loved this, and I hope to read more about the guys in this world.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC received by LesCourt Author Services
They had great chemistry, and I thought the book had a great balance between relationship building and action. I loved the whole team, and their boss Landon did a great job at communicating and understanding what was going on around them. I loved how Baker was a sub, but also sassy and a damn good agent in his own right. Seth was a huge macho Dom alpha guy, but when Baker/his relationship was threatened, he crumbled and crushed in on himself. They were both complete opposites yet so very similar. They were a perfect pair. I absolutely loved this, and I hope to read more about the guys in this world.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC received by LesCourt Author Services
June 10, 2019
ALL the stars!!! ALL of them <3333333333!!! This book ... absolutely glorious <3333!! ADORED it and could not put it down <33333!!!!
I WILL elaborate in the next day or two because lots of thoughts to come :-)!! In the meantime, glorious book <333, and its HEA and Epilogue = magnificent, wonderful, beautiful, amazing!!! Lots of authors should take note on how it's done from this author right here!! Bravo, Ms. McKinney :-D!!!
Anyway, lots of thoughts to come!! I'll definitely be reading the next one (and the next and the next and the next) :-)!!
I WILL elaborate in the next day or two because lots of thoughts to come :-)!! In the meantime, glorious book <333, and its HEA and Epilogue = magnificent, wonderful, beautiful, amazing!!! Lots of authors should take note on how it's done from this author right here!! Bravo, Ms. McKinney :-D!!!
Anyway, lots of thoughts to come!! I'll definitely be reading the next one (and the next and the next and the next) :-)!!
August 6, 2018
Really enjoyed this book, in fact I couldn’t put it down. I have to agree that the lack of communication was a problem for me as well. This sudden problem that occurred at the end of the book just seemed like a way to make the book longer. Without that it would be 5 Stars.
December 31, 2018
3.5 for this erotic adventure... there were some great scenes here if you enjoy BDSM with a good storyline but it missed the mark in depth and in creating angst with subs being taken and attacked. The focus was more on the relationship with the crime being secondary. Certainly an enjoyable read
June 23, 2018
Agent Seth Wilkinson is a Dom, who works for The Company, a private security firm, investigating brutal attacks and murders on Subs. Agent Baker Daley is a straight sub, willing to help Seth bring down the person/people responsible for the attacks.
Initially their working relationship gets off to a rocky start... Their first scene was intense.
"Aren't you pretending to be the naughty sub a little early, Baker? We aren't even at the club yet?"
"Practising." I hissed.
"Seth had wanted to dislike me... to prove I couldn't be a worthy sub since I wasn't gay. My goal had been to prove him wrong."
Seth and Baker are pretty intense as they get to know each other. They were amazingly hot together.
"Seth... I think we have a problem."
"What's that, Baker?" Seth was expecting the worst...
"I, uh, don't think I'm as straight now as I was this morning."
"Baker... I don't think that's a problem."
Because of their reluctance to be emotionally open with each other, both Baker and Seth assume things about the other.
"Baker was dangerous. He had the power to steal my heart and then, when he tired of his curiosity, crush that same heart when he walked away."
"Why couldn't he see what he was becoming to me? What he already meant to my heart?"
I loved Seth's pet name for Baker. I was a perfect fit. I love the supporting character's I look forward to reading Ari's book & I hope Landon gets his book soon.
Initially their working relationship gets off to a rocky start... Their first scene was intense.
"Aren't you pretending to be the naughty sub a little early, Baker? We aren't even at the club yet?"
"Practising." I hissed.
"Seth had wanted to dislike me... to prove I couldn't be a worthy sub since I wasn't gay. My goal had been to prove him wrong."
Seth and Baker are pretty intense as they get to know each other. They were amazingly hot together.
"Seth... I think we have a problem."
"What's that, Baker?" Seth was expecting the worst...
"I, uh, don't think I'm as straight now as I was this morning."
"Baker... I don't think that's a problem."
Because of their reluctance to be emotionally open with each other, both Baker and Seth assume things about the other.
"Baker was dangerous. He had the power to steal my heart and then, when he tired of his curiosity, crush that same heart when he walked away."
"Why couldn't he see what he was becoming to me? What he already meant to my heart?"
I loved Seth's pet name for Baker. I was a perfect fit. I love the supporting character's I look forward to reading Ari's book & I hope Landon gets his book soon.
March 23, 2021
4 stars
Very kinky, with insta love that worked for me this time. Bi-awakening, sexy goodness.
“I’d already exposed about myself to him but, then again, his plans for this day would certainly be driving a straight man over the crazy cliff. As I gazed down at my leaking cock, I knew there was no questioning it—I was gay for Seth.”
Very kinky, with insta love that worked for me this time. Bi-awakening, sexy goodness.
“I’d already exposed about myself to him but, then again, his plans for this day would certainly be driving a straight man over the crazy cliff. As I gazed down at my leaking cock, I knew there was no questioning it—I was gay for Seth.”
June 18, 2018
3 stars.
June 10, 2018
Oh dear 😕. Not sure to be honest what this story is actually trying to be, but whatever that is, it certainly didn't do it very well for me. The mystery/murderer part might as well not be in the story...there's the choice of one suspect, and that storyline [such as it is] seems to be secondary to the task of 'turning' a supposedly straight agent gay, so that the agents can pretend to be a D/s pairing for the investigation. The MC's are fairly childish, quite incompetent considering they're supposed to be catching a mass murderer and they don't communicate. Insta-love...I could go on, but I won't. This is the third T.S. McKinney book I've read, and will definitely be the last.
August 18, 2019
3.5 stars. This started off really well. I liked the mcs straight away and I was enjoying the Bdsm elements to the story. Around 50% in tho the writing style changed and so did the characters. Seth turned into a soft, sappy Dom and Baker went from a straight/curious sub to a camp drama queen. And what happened to the dom/Sub element? It was almost non existent for the last half of the book. Overall it was pretty enjoyable but nothing special!
August 29, 2019
I enjoyed the first part of the book a bit more than the last chapters, but overall I still really liked it and it was absolutely worth reading. Will definitely be reading the other books in the series.
June 9, 2018
The blurb for this story is what drew me in, plus the fact that I’ve enjoyed the other books I’ve read by this author. I’m always game for anything with BDSM, as well as stories that promise some type of suspense related to criminal investigation all wrapped up with some romance. Sub Mission has all that, and punctuates it with a cocky alpha Dom and a sassy sub.
Seth is definitely cocky, with good reason though—he knows what he’s doing. And Baker is the perfect sub…though how he’ll do with Seth when Baker is straight is anyone’s guess. Until after their first test scene before they start the assignment. The two are the ideal D/s pair, though as things progress Baker becomes conflicted with the feelings and desires he begins to experience concerning Seth. Seth’s in a similar position when it comes to feelings, which is a recipe for conflict—not to mention a conflict of interest when it comes to their case.
There are times during the story that it felt a bit rough around the edges which I attribute to the characters’ personalities both individually and as they interact with each other, but also to certain points where things felt rushed to me (it’s hard to detail this in a review without spoilers, though one of those points is when Baker is pushing Seth to advance their physical interaction). There’s also the very short time period in which the events of the case take place—just a few days—which makes this story fall into the insta-love category for me. Yes, relationships tied to BDSM tend to provoke more intense feelings (at least in books, I don’t know about real life), but considering Baker is supposedly straight at the start of the story, it makes the acceleration of the relationship a bit too much on the rushed side for my liking.
The supporting characters do a good job, though I found Landon to be a bit peculiar. I liked his son Ari, and since there’s some setup towards the end of the story for Ari I’m now looking forward to hearing his story.
Sub Mission was a 3.5-star read for me. I liked how Seth and Baker fit together in terms of their D/s scenes and the results Seth could easily achieve with Baker. Their interactions outside of that were less smooth and the pace of their relationship a bit rushed at the start, which was a strong contributing factor in my final rating. This is a good start though for what looks to be a series, and I’ll be following along and hoping Ari’s story will be coming next. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and explicit erotic sexual content.
Seth is definitely cocky, with good reason though—he knows what he’s doing. And Baker is the perfect sub…though how he’ll do with Seth when Baker is straight is anyone’s guess. Until after their first test scene before they start the assignment. The two are the ideal D/s pair, though as things progress Baker becomes conflicted with the feelings and desires he begins to experience concerning Seth. Seth’s in a similar position when it comes to feelings, which is a recipe for conflict—not to mention a conflict of interest when it comes to their case.
There are times during the story that it felt a bit rough around the edges which I attribute to the characters’ personalities both individually and as they interact with each other, but also to certain points where things felt rushed to me (it’s hard to detail this in a review without spoilers, though one of those points is when Baker is pushing Seth to advance their physical interaction). There’s also the very short time period in which the events of the case take place—just a few days—which makes this story fall into the insta-love category for me. Yes, relationships tied to BDSM tend to provoke more intense feelings (at least in books, I don’t know about real life), but considering Baker is supposedly straight at the start of the story, it makes the acceleration of the relationship a bit too much on the rushed side for my liking.
The supporting characters do a good job, though I found Landon to be a bit peculiar. I liked his son Ari, and since there’s some setup towards the end of the story for Ari I’m now looking forward to hearing his story.
Sub Mission was a 3.5-star read for me. I liked how Seth and Baker fit together in terms of their D/s scenes and the results Seth could easily achieve with Baker. Their interactions outside of that were less smooth and the pace of their relationship a bit rushed at the start, which was a strong contributing factor in my final rating. This is a good start though for what looks to be a series, and I’ll be following along and hoping Ari’s story will be coming next. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and explicit erotic sexual content.
July 17, 2018
So ... this one started out great for me. Two agents put together to solve a crime involving BDSM practitioners. Seth is a Dom, and Baker a sub. They have to pose as a D/s couple for their assignment, even though Seth is gay and Baker is straight. This all set up some great tension and hot scenes, and I was digging it.
But then maybe halfway through, tropes I don't really enjoy started showing up:
• The "someone might be after you but I'm going to leave you alone anyway"
• The "let's neither of us dare talk about our feelings and just assume things instead"
• The "'but I left you a note'/'I didn't see it'" (and really, who writes letters? what in Baker's character ever indicated that's something he'd do?)
• The "one character runs away for reasons that make zero sense," followed quickly by ...
• The "instant forgiveness"
Then, just as I think the book has moved on from all that, it moves right back into Baker making more assumptions about Seth, Seth being an idiot, and yet again instant forgiveness! That second time especially didn't work for me, because it was actually a pretty serious issue that Baker was upset over. The book even says something about how they had gone from their biggest fight to laughing, like nothing had happened. So why have it happen in the first place? It felt unnecessary almost.
Anyway. All that is not to say this book is outright bad, there were definitely good parts, and those tropes are a personal preference of things I'm just so tired of reading. I do wish we had gotten a chance to spend time with Seth and Baker when they were just a couple, exploring their kinks, and not on a case or injured or assuming the other wasn't interested. If they're in love, show us instead of skipping over months and landing on a jacked up proposal.
But then maybe halfway through, tropes I don't really enjoy started showing up:
• The "someone might be after you but I'm going to leave you alone anyway"
• The "let's neither of us dare talk about our feelings and just assume things instead"
• The "'but I left you a note'/'I didn't see it'" (and really, who writes letters? what in Baker's character ever indicated that's something he'd do?)
• The "one character runs away for reasons that make zero sense," followed quickly by ...
• The "instant forgiveness"
Then, just as I think the book has moved on from all that, it moves right back into Baker making more assumptions about Seth, Seth being an idiot, and yet again instant forgiveness! That second time especially didn't work for me, because it was actually a pretty serious issue that Baker was upset over. The book even says something about how they had gone from their biggest fight to laughing, like nothing had happened. So why have it happen in the first place? It felt unnecessary almost.
Anyway. All that is not to say this book is outright bad, there were definitely good parts, and those tropes are a personal preference of things I'm just so tired of reading. I do wish we had gotten a chance to spend time with Seth and Baker when they were just a couple, exploring their kinks, and not on a case or injured or assuming the other wasn't interested. If they're in love, show us instead of skipping over months and landing on a jacked up proposal.
June 8, 2018
Baker and Seth
Definition of submission - the action of accepting or yielding to another person or such like.
In Miami the BDSM clubs were having a spate of abduction on subs with awful results.
Seth is well known as a Dom outside the agency he works for.. to be able to lure these predators he will have to have a sub who will perform with him and to perform with his heart in the BDSM scene .
This book is testament that you can get wonderful feelings from a person who you are working with daily and playing with him after hours..
Can a Dom become possessive of his Sub ?
Can feelings between both grow into much more ?
But things happen and not in a good way!
and feelings get muddled ...
So much great writing skills that took me into the guys lifestyle I just followed no hesitation.
A wonderful book that I would definitely recommend .
A beautiful book.
More than 5 stars ...
Definition of submission - the action of accepting or yielding to another person or such like.
In Miami the BDSM clubs were having a spate of abduction on subs with awful results.
Seth is well known as a Dom outside the agency he works for.. to be able to lure these predators he will have to have a sub who will perform with him and to perform with his heart in the BDSM scene .
This book is testament that you can get wonderful feelings from a person who you are working with daily and playing with him after hours..
Can a Dom become possessive of his Sub ?
Can feelings between both grow into much more ?
But things happen and not in a good way!
and feelings get muddled ...
So much great writing skills that took me into the guys lifestyle I just followed no hesitation.
A wonderful book that I would definitely recommend .
A beautiful book.
More than 5 stars ...
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