What do you think?
Rate this book
My Summer
A Gay BDSM Romance.
It was the summer that changed my life forever.
When I somehow won the golden ticket to a summer spent working for world-famous author Thomas Albertson, I expected him to be a boss and possibly even become my mentor, I didn’t expect he’d become my Master. I didn’t expect the skeletons rattling in his closet either.
I’m Joel Buckley, I’m a Ph.D. student in English Literature, and I was burnt out. I needed a change, and, with the encouragement of my best friend Stephen, I found it. Access to the literary world of a bestselling author and the eternal tropical sunshine of the Florida Keys was enough to make it a summer to remember. Falling in love, vanquishing a long-term adversary, and submitting to the most breathtaking of Masters made it a summer I would never ever forget.
My Summer is a 55,000-word bdsm romance. It has steamy scenes, bondage and discipline, life on a private island, the sights and sounds of Key West, and a guaranteed happy ending.
It was the summer that changed my life forever.
When I somehow won the golden ticket to a summer spent working for world-famous author Thomas Albertson, I expected him to be a boss and possibly even become my mentor, I didn’t expect he’d become my Master. I didn’t expect the skeletons rattling in his closet either.
I’m Joel Buckley, I’m a Ph.D. student in English Literature, and I was burnt out. I needed a change, and, with the encouragement of my best friend Stephen, I found it. Access to the literary world of a bestselling author and the eternal tropical sunshine of the Florida Keys was enough to make it a summer to remember. Falling in love, vanquishing a long-term adversary, and submitting to the most breathtaking of Masters made it a summer I would never ever forget.
My Summer is a 55,000-word bdsm romance. It has steamy scenes, bondage and discipline, life on a private island, the sights and sounds of Key West, and a guaranteed happy ending.
- GenresBDSMRomanceM M Romance
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2018
43 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 26, 2018
3.5 stars. After a burnout Ph.d student Joel finds a dream summer-job to recover.
Picture: an Island, sun, sea and a famous author who needs an assistant. Easygoing Tom is a famous author who needs to be away from the demanding world.
Tom has a secret and Joel tries to ignore it and wants to enjoy.
Joel think Tom has his own reasons to invite him on his uninhabited island.
A story with a easygoing feeling in it and with a lot of recreation. Tom is the best boss ever
This story about two men who are going from employee/boss to friends to lovers to D/s goes a bit fast for just a few months. It was not deeply developed, it all stays somewhat light. it could be with more layers, but some stories are just not that.
The friends were, just like the main, sweet and friendly characters, also somewhat light developed. There is some mild bdsm, no heavy stuff. The surroundings were well described I could visualize and smell it all. The story is told from Joel’s pov.
Overall a nice read.
At the end there is a link to a free bonus chapter :)
Read and reviewed for LesCourt ARC Team
Picture: an Island, sun, sea and a famous author who needs an assistant. Easygoing Tom is a famous author who needs to be away from the demanding world.
Tom has a secret and Joel tries to ignore it and wants to enjoy.
Joel think Tom has his own reasons to invite him on his uninhabited island.
A story with a easygoing feeling in it and with a lot of recreation. Tom is the best boss ever
This story about two men who are going from employee/boss to friends to lovers to D/s goes a bit fast for just a few months. It was not deeply developed, it all stays somewhat light. it could be with more layers, but some stories are just not that.
The friends were, just like the main, sweet and friendly characters, also somewhat light developed. There is some mild bdsm, no heavy stuff. The surroundings were well described I could visualize and smell it all. The story is told from Joel’s pov.
Overall a nice read.
At the end there is a link to a free bonus chapter :)
Read and reviewed for LesCourt ARC Team
August 29, 2018
Good writing, but I wasn’t impressed with Tom
I found Tom and Joel to be an oddly dissonant pairing. I understoond Joel and his shyness preventing him from exploring more into submission before this book began, and I understand him wanting to experience that with Tom. But Tom seemed to be a pretty bad dom and I didn’t understand Joel’s complete trust based on what we saw in the course of this story.
There is a difference between exploring limits and triggering a fight or flight response. The fact that Tom didn’t, in any way, prepare Joel for a scene like that; and then didn’t check on Joel’s emotional state, but rather, blatantly ignored it, and told him to just breathe and relax without understanding Joel’s panic was irresponsible. And for that to be Tom’s “test” to see if Joel was worthy of his collar again felt off. It was, simultaneously, too cruel and callous for the character that I think Tom was supposed to be, as well as too sudden for an expectation of a lesson learned.
Ultimately, I thought that there wasn’t enough communication between Tom & Joel to be fully believable. But Delcan’s writing, and his supporting characters are so enjoyable that they saved me from really disliking this book.
I found Tom and Joel to be an oddly dissonant pairing. I understoond Joel and his shyness preventing him from exploring more into submission before this book began, and I understand him wanting to experience that with Tom. But Tom seemed to be a pretty bad dom and I didn’t understand Joel’s complete trust based on what we saw in the course of this story.
There is a difference between exploring limits and triggering a fight or flight response. The fact that Tom didn’t, in any way, prepare Joel for a scene like that; and then didn’t check on Joel’s emotional state, but rather, blatantly ignored it, and told him to just breathe and relax without understanding Joel’s panic was irresponsible. And for that to be Tom’s “test” to see if Joel was worthy of his collar again felt off. It was, simultaneously, too cruel and callous for the character that I think Tom was supposed to be, as well as too sudden for an expectation of a lesson learned.
Ultimately, I thought that there wasn’t enough communication between Tom & Joel to be fully believable. But Delcan’s writing, and his supporting characters are so enjoyable that they saved me from really disliking this book.
August 25, 2018
I knew this would be light on the BDSM aspect. I find it more that Joel, as a young man, is finding his true self. In his own words
"My thoughts drifted back to the number of times I’d obediently followed Tom's directives over the past several days. Taking his orders, successfully completing tasks, and pleasing him made me feel good, but I wasn't sure it meant that I should be wearing a collar. I understood the collar to indicate ownership. It meant giving him absolute , unquestioned control."
He was more or less following what felt RIGHT for him. There was no discussion as they both did was was natural to their relationship like all regular couples end up doing.
"My thoughts drifted back to the number of times I’d obediently followed Tom's directives over the past several days. Taking his orders, successfully completing tasks, and pleasing him made me feel good, but I wasn't sure it meant that I should be wearing a collar. I understood the collar to indicate ownership. It meant giving him absolute , unquestioned control."
He was more or less following what felt RIGHT for him. There was no discussion as they both did was was natural to their relationship like all regular couples end up doing.
August 26, 2018
PLEASE READ FIRST MY RATING SYSTEM!!!
To my ratings (thanks to amazon I had to change it again and 'upgrade' it a little bit. 4* is now 4,5* and my old 3* is now a 3,5* and clicked with a 4*):
5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-Away-book like 'Liberty' from Seth King,
'Save the kids' series
from EM Leya or 'Jesse's Smile' from Angelique Jurd), it's like an A+
4,5* - very good and will be often reread and is a WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises
(like most of Andrew Grey books), it's like an A
4* - it's the place between I really like it and I love it, it's like an A-
3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few times (most romances where you can enjoy
for relaxing and during waiting times in hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+
3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader, but not really an often reread book
2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-reader (i wouldn't recommend it heartly, but
it was ok) It's like a C-, D
1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too many mistakes, not nice plot, unlogical,
NO-GO). It's like failure in the whole line, dismissed, repeat the class
The story is slowly, like the whole life at the Florida Keys because of the hot weather and nice landscape.
if you expect a lot of hot se.-scenes - Don't read the book
if you expect a lot of hard BDSM scenes - Don't read the book
if you expect a lot of action or drama - Don't read the book
if you like a slow starting romance - READ the book
if you like growing love and feelings - READ the book
if you like a good side story about the families of the MCs and their past - READ the book
It's a definitively 4 star book
To my ratings (thanks to amazon I had to change it again and 'upgrade' it a little bit. 4* is now 4,5* and my old 3* is now a 3,5* and clicked with a 4*):
5* - very very good and rare (it would be a Blow-Away-book like 'Liberty' from Seth King,
'Save the kids' series
from EM Leya or 'Jesse's Smile' from Angelique Jurd), it's like an A+
4,5* - very good and will be often reread and is a WOW-book with interesting plot and surprises
(like most of Andrew Grey books), it's like an A
4* - it's the place between I really like it and I love it, it's like an A-
3,5* - a really good book, which will be reread a few times (most romances where you can enjoy
for relaxing and during waiting times in hospitals). I can recommend them definitively!
It's like an B+
3* - it could be more then a one-time-reader, but not really an often reread book
2* - it was ok to read, but it's more a one-time-reader (i wouldn't recommend it heartly, but
it was ok) It's like a C-, D
1* - sorry, but that isn't really a book for me (too many mistakes, not nice plot, unlogical,
NO-GO). It's like failure in the whole line, dismissed, repeat the class
The story is slowly, like the whole life at the Florida Keys because of the hot weather and nice landscape.
if you expect a lot of hot se.-scenes - Don't read the book
if you expect a lot of hard BDSM scenes - Don't read the book
if you expect a lot of action or drama - Don't read the book
if you like a slow starting romance - READ the book
if you like growing love and feelings - READ the book
if you like a good side story about the families of the MCs and their past - READ the book
It's a definitively 4 star book
August 29, 2018
This book just did not convince me. The story is written from Joel’s POV and until almost 60% of the story, the narrative was more similar to a daily/weekly journal of Joel’s experiences and thoughts. Tom was a quite contradictory character starting off as a joyfull, very touchy successful author and turning into a wannabe dom initially for work purposes (he wanted to directly experience the scenes he wanted to describe in his new book). The book is branded as a BDSM story, but besides a few scenes mostly based on Tom acting bossy and Joel giving in, there is not much BDSM in this story. Tom was never a dom before meeting Joel and he practiced his skills with knots around boats and docks and Joel did some rope play as a teenager acting like an escape artist; he had never pursued his submisive tendencies nor was he aware of having the need or urged to be dominated, and Tom kind of forced his wishes onto Joel. Not the most serious and safe way to engage in dominance practices. In particular there was a scene where Tom tested Joel’s trust that I found particularly disturbing. So my rating is closer to a 2stars than 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2018
HOT M/M story with angst, lovin’ and HEA but I still want more…
Joel is a Ph.D. candidate finishing his studies and starting his thesis but not looking forward to “babysitting” a bunch of green students through another summer. So, he applies to an ad on the bulletin board and is accepted. He’ll be assisting world-famous, older (33yo) author Tom Albertson in Florida…in the Keys…How lucky could Joel be? He soon finds out how fortunate he is and the book takes off from there. So many deliciously naughty provocative M/M scenes. Joel and Tom’s relationship maturing, Joel coming to realize something about himself and finding what he wants for his future.
I’ve never read a BDSM story by Mr. Rhodes so this was a first and I hope not the last of this kind of book for him. Well-written, in Joel’s POV. Lots of characters to want to know more about. I’d like to know more about Rita and Sterling, Mr. Rhodes! Does Sterling know about Rita??? I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.
Joel is a Ph.D. candidate finishing his studies and starting his thesis but not looking forward to “babysitting” a bunch of green students through another summer. So, he applies to an ad on the bulletin board and is accepted. He’ll be assisting world-famous, older (33yo) author Tom Albertson in Florida…in the Keys…How lucky could Joel be? He soon finds out how fortunate he is and the book takes off from there. So many deliciously naughty provocative M/M scenes. Joel and Tom’s relationship maturing, Joel coming to realize something about himself and finding what he wants for his future.
I’ve never read a BDSM story by Mr. Rhodes so this was a first and I hope not the last of this kind of book for him. Well-written, in Joel’s POV. Lots of characters to want to know more about. I’d like to know more about Rita and Sterling, Mr. Rhodes! Does Sterling know about Rita??? I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.
August 31, 2018
I really enjoyed this story it had everything. From suspense to hot guys and a little BDSM.
Joel is looking for a change and when the opportunity arises for him to go and work for a famous author he is over the moon to learn from the best. But when he gets off the plane to meet his new boss it’s an instant connection. Summer isn’t going to be long enough.
Tom is lonely but doesn’t realise until Joel comes into his life what he has been missing. Joel is the perfect guy for him. Joel is craving domination a firm hand and someone to take control over him. He needs his sir like he needs air to breathe and he caves making his Sir happy. There is a great connection between these two and a wonderful dynamic.
With lots of interesting side characters like Sam and hank and Rita it’s a great little read. It kept me guessing and I would love more from all these guys.
I received an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2018
**Warning** BDSM practices - on the lighter side but some may find unnerving.
Tom - Successful author needs assistant for the summer, to help with his office and research for new book.
Joel - Shy, slightly introverted, lucky applicant looking forward to a summer of work and new experiences. What they didn’t bank on was each other and their developing feelings.
This is a good book with lots of elements, adventure, mystery, romance, love/sex, beautiful scenery which is described in detail. It is a most enjoyable book that is perfect for a summer read. I have only read a couple of books by this author but he has a way of drawing you into the characters lives that makes you not want to let them go at the end of the book which is why I’m glad that you get the opportunity to get a bonus chapter at the end of the book.
Tom - Successful author needs assistant for the summer, to help with his office and research for new book.
Joel - Shy, slightly introverted, lucky applicant looking forward to a summer of work and new experiences. What they didn’t bank on was each other and their developing feelings.
This is a good book with lots of elements, adventure, mystery, romance, love/sex, beautiful scenery which is described in detail. It is a most enjoyable book that is perfect for a summer read. I have only read a couple of books by this author but he has a way of drawing you into the characters lives that makes you not want to let them go at the end of the book which is why I’m glad that you get the opportunity to get a bonus chapter at the end of the book.
September 1, 2018
Joel and English Lit major needed to challenge himself. So filling out the application to be a personal assistant famous author was a big step for him and a big opportunity if he got it. And when he met Thomas he was hot and Joel didnt know how to take him. Once things started falling into place and became routine they each found out they were perfect for each other. This chemistry between the two was hot. This book has light BDSM. The D/s relationship I feel wasn't really explained it just seemed to happen. It almost felt like they were playing around with the concept but not really defining it. I just wished there was more development of all the characters and story line. I would have loved a longer story. I did love how in the end Joel became a better version of himself and Thomas had someone to take care of and someone to take care of him.
August 27, 2018
Tough one for me to describe...I just know that I enjoyed the ride. From the beauty of the Florida keys, the story is descriptive of all kinds of scenery, including the men. I'm certain that Joel didn't ever expect what he would learn about himself during this summer internship but in the end...he got what he needed and found himself. I read alot of BDSM stories although M/M ones less frequently. This is a relatively short read so it may seem way too not necessarily insta-love but insta-bdsm without much thought but in the end I enjoyed the read!
August 30, 2018
I liked this book. It was a nice book that kept your attention, but it didn't wow me. I almost want to have a chapter or two from Tom's POV, but it would change the story. This isn't so much a coming of age, but wanting a new normal.
I would say this is a 3.5 rating. The characters are nice, but not overly complex. They stand up for themselves while asking for what they want, even if they aren't sure what it is.
I received a copy of this book from LesCourt Author Services. This is my honest opinion and review.
I would say this is a 3.5 rating. The characters are nice, but not overly complex. They stand up for themselves while asking for what they want, even if they aren't sure what it is.
I received a copy of this book from LesCourt Author Services. This is my honest opinion and review.
August 26, 2018
⭐️ 3.5 Stars ⭐️
This story was a slow start to romance for the 2 MC’s. It is a light bdsm, finding trust and taking direction while experiencing new things.
I enjoyed the characters they grew on you as well as their feelings.
The secondary characters were fantastic to this story and really brought it to life with finding out their pasts!
Not a bad read! I felt the word Sir was over used. But I did enjoy finding out the mystery of Richard!
This story was a slow start to romance for the 2 MC’s. It is a light bdsm, finding trust and taking direction while experiencing new things.
I enjoyed the characters they grew on you as well as their feelings.
The secondary characters were fantastic to this story and really brought it to life with finding out their pasts!
Not a bad read! I felt the word Sir was over used. But I did enjoy finding out the mystery of Richard!
September 4, 2018
When Joel accepts a summer job with a famous author he does not anticipate just how interesting his summer will be. When Thomas and Joel meet they feel an instant attraction to each other. As the days go on Thomas starts to test the waters and allow Joel to explore his submissive side.
I found both characters very sweet and I enjoyed they way their relationship grew. There are elements of BDSM but it is kept fairly light. Overall an enjoyable summer read.
I found both characters very sweet and I enjoyed they way their relationship grew. There are elements of BDSM but it is kept fairly light. Overall an enjoyable summer read.
September 5, 2018
3.5 stars
My Summer
Joel's gets a summer job assisting world renowned author Thomas in Florida. As soon as he steps off the plane he wishes the summer would go on forever. There's an instant connection between the pair and as the summer goes on Thomas's dominating side comes out and Joel's more than happy to submit, discovering and learning about himself.
A great employee/boss to lovers book though light on the BDSM!
My Summer
Joel's gets a summer job assisting world renowned author Thomas in Florida. As soon as he steps off the plane he wishes the summer would go on forever. There's an instant connection between the pair and as the summer goes on Thomas's dominating side comes out and Joel's more than happy to submit, discovering and learning about himself.
A great employee/boss to lovers book though light on the BDSM!
August 30, 2018
I did enjoy this story and Tom and Joel very much. The idea and storytelling were very good. I loved the setting so this really grabbed my attention. My only real complaint and it is minor is I felt it could have used a little more depth. It seemed to move along a little quickly. But overall very good and would very much recommend it. Thanks for the arc.
September 6, 2018
A short but enjoyable read. A bit light on the BDSM for me (but I usually prefer my books a bit darker). However, I could still enjoy this book and enjoyed the development of Joel and Thomas's relationship, and I would not mind to read a bit more about these two men and their cast of supporting characters.
September 1, 2018
I enjoyed this story. I really liked Joel and how he explored his submissive side with Tom. I thought they were great together. Book involves BDSM (obviously), but nothing "rough". Good storytelling.
September 3, 2018
Overall, a pretty good book. The two main characters were very suited to be with each other. A good and easy read.
January 1, 2019
2.5, Tom came across as a complete psychopath, I kept waiting for him to murder someone
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2018
A coming of age story..
Joel, a graduate student, takes a summer job as an assistant to a well known author.
Tom, the bestselling author, lives almost a reclusive lifestyle on a private island. He takes Joel under his wing and teaches him lessons in light BDSM.
These two have instant chemistry, but tough decisions have to be made to continue their summer romance.
Recommended.
Joel, a graduate student, takes a summer job as an assistant to a well known author.
Tom, the bestselling author, lives almost a reclusive lifestyle on a private island. He takes Joel under his wing and teaches him lessons in light BDSM.
These two have instant chemistry, but tough decisions have to be made to continue their summer romance.
Recommended.
January 17, 2019
This story seems controversial. Well written with interesting characters. Declan takes us out of our comfort zone. Well worth the trip and well worth reading.
August 25, 2018
Though not a fan of BDSM I liked both male characters, how each related to and connected with each other. The ongoing development of trust was so important element of the book. The secondary characters were also well developed and the mystery of Richard came as a complete surprise. Master Hank's last name came across to me as a double entendre.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews