Love Language

Love Language #1

by Reese Morrison

A younger Dom. A grieving sub. Two men whose kinks don't match (or so they think) connecting in ASL.

Marco and Greg would both rather be anywhere than a kink club on Valentine’s Day. Marco doesn’t have the patience to speech-read in a hearing crowd. And Greg is still mourning his Sir who passed away three years ago.

But when Greg steps in to explain something in ASL, Marco can’t stop thinking about the light he sees in those sad eyes. Strong, older, fluent in sign language, and sweetly submissive, Greg is exactly Marco’s type. Even if Greg isn’t ready for another relationship yet, Marco isn’t ready to let him go.

Greg thought that he would never want to date someone again. But as painful as it is to admit, he’s starting to feel like it might be time. Marco is like no one he’s never met. Small, twink-ish, over a decade younger, and a Daddy, he isn’t at all what Greg imagined in a Dom. Yet he’s undeniably attracted to his care and control, even after Marco reveals that he’s transgender. Slipping into ASL, the language of his childhood, Greg wonders if he might have a second chance at love.

This book contains hurt/comfort themes, predicament bondage, shibari, wax, and CNC role play, just to get started... and a HEA ending.

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, Romance, Disability, Transgender, Contemporary, LGBT

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 12, 2020

About the author

Reese Morrison lives in Philadelphia with their partner, two precocious children, and intermittent housemates, guests, and homeless, queer teens. Their hobbies are volunteering on too many boards, planting gardens that they forget to water half-way through the summer, making up songs for their kids, and putting off writing their dissertation.

Reese and their partner both identify as genderqueer and are part of a vibrant community of queer and trans folks. They started writing because they were dissatisfied with the lack of trans and genderqueer characters in what they were reading and finally decided to do something about it. Many, but not all, of their books are kinky (for a whole range of kinks...) and they feel that it's important to represent a range of backgrounds, dis/abilities, gender presentations/ identities, and body types in their writing.

Reviews

[len ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

And that was when it occurred to him that he loved Marco. It was both that warm, comforting love of a close friend, and that fierce, giddy love of a lover. He was in love.

Love Language was beautiful and sad, told through a dual perspective, following two men who explore together. The sweet story features a widowed sub nearing fifty years and a deaf, transgender, femme, and younger Dom at thirty-six. Despite their opposite looks physically and quite a few different kinks, the two find comfort in each other at a club they both didn’t want to be at. Marco is drawn to the older man with sad but kind eyes, and Greg is drawn to the effeminate man with a commanding aura.

There’s a bit of instant attraction, but the relationship is mellow and slow. The author shows and tells at a balanced and moderate level, allowing the reader to know where the characters are every day and what they are doing without it becoming too much. While it can become a little annoying for others to see every detail about the characters, I thought the process of it was done well. Because the book is short, there isn’t a lot of space for the author to write down many details regarding the characters and their growing relationship. However, the author pulled this off by giving us enough glimpses into the lives of Marco and Greg to understand their increasing attraction and individual development. The characters are the entire story, so the plot is pretty solid and self-explanatory. We follow Marco and Greg the whole way as they explore together. I found the relationship to be rather sweet than everything else. It’s careful from the beginning, and a few walls need to be broken before they become official.

And Marco… Marco was sweet. He listened. He was still, undeniably, in control, but only some of the time. When they agreed on it or when it was just little details. He figured out what Greg needed, and he took care of him. Marco, he realized, put Greg first. Marco wanted him to be happy.

I don’t read BDSM often. In fact, I’m not the biggest fan of it.

I have usually associated BDSM with the “punishing” side of it, like impact play or complete control and dominance. And while those two are and can be very relevant to a relationship that engages in specific sexual practices, it isn’t all and everything the spectrum offers. The umbrella is extensive and provides various methods and core pillars. Despite the little BDSM books I have read, I’m still learning new terms, erotic practices, and kinky role plays that people find pleasure in. I find it interesting how the body and mind can react differently to certain aspects of discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism.

Love Language showed me how, even though the most significant dynamic here is D/s dynamics, as well as some other kinks, it doesn’t always mean rough, mean, and entirely dominant for the sake of one person only. I think that’s an unfortunate misconception people usually have when they hear BDSM. I understand, honestly, because I grew up in an environment where I was told that the difference between dominance and submissiveness is simply controlling. And that’s not to say that control isn’t something big in relationships that engage in BDSM elements. I understand the definitions of Dom and sub. All I’m saying is that not every relationship plays the same. Not every couple builds trust and loves the same way. Some like it rough, others like it softer; some like complete control and command, others like having some freedom and choice; some like all.

And I think that’s one reason why I really enjoyed those dynamics here.

Marco and Greg, despite their differences, have some matching personalities when it comes to their pleasures. They meet by forming a bond through ASL (American Sign Language). What first starts as a one-night experiment for the two turns into a friendship that slowly builds into more. I loved reading about every moment they spent together. It can become a little draining for some, especially those who aren’t too fond of physical affection. While the book centers on BDSM, it is still light and sweet. We get the usual practices and elements of the D/s power dynamics, but there’s sweetness underneath it too. It makes sense, considering Greg is mourning the loss of his ex-lover, his Sir, of twenty years. Marco is also a Daddy Dom, so things like aftercare and making sure his “boy” is happy come naturally to him. Because of this, there is a lot of tenderness underneath the rough edges of the relationship. Despite that, there are still many kinks to appreciate, like impact play, bondage (specifically, Shibari), sounding, painslut, edging, and more. I didn’t know what Shibari (one type of Japanese bondage) was until I read this. Some may think this is useless information, but I find it fascinating.

The book’s timeline is written in months. This gives the reader a glimpse into how the characters are doing. I appreciated how the author doesn’t miss a beat in letting us know what’s happened with the two men. There is enough information to be caught up, but it also never felt too draining or like it was too much that felt irrelevant to the story.

The characters are also memorable. I loved the opposites attract dynamic and how different the two are. I have only read one romance with an older sun and younger Dom, which I didn’t enjoy, but the dynamics are interesting. It also shows how the roles can be switched since people usually think the older one is always the dominant one. Greg was a younger sub to his Sir, but since passing away, he’s become a little hopeless in finding someone who would want an older sub. I’ve become a fan of Daddy kink books over the months, so Marco being a Daddy Dom was something I enjoyed reading about. I found his tenderness, aftercare, and worry sweet and endearing. I’m not an expert on the kink by any means, so I can’t speak on any type of “accuracy,” but I found the different types of care adorable.

The BDSM was emotionally rough, which I never thought I’d be using to describe a relationship. However, I loved the concept and progression of it and seeing how the two men balanced each other out so well because of their preferences was delightful. The romantic setting of this isn’t your traditional kind, as the two men meet at a club and form their relationship sexually, but the emotional connection is still there. It is built from the trust they slowly developed, from friendship/friends with benefits to realizing they want to make it a permanent relationship.

He felt small and lost, adrift in his own devastating howls. And Marco was his anchor, his lighthouse.

Yet, despite my enjoyment of this, a few things faltered my enjoyment a little bit. However, most of these quibbles have to do with personal preferences instead of unrealistic points or criticisms.

For starters, I wasn’t a fan of the ending. While I could get behind the shame kink and exhibitionism, I wasn’t a fan of the sharing. But, again, this will come down to people’s preferences and interpretation of the scene. I don’t read polyamorous/ménage books for a reason, so it made me uncomfortable. It also felt like it took away some of the emotional aspects of the relationship. While the discovery and exploring that Marco and Greg were doing together in front of everyone (exhibitionism) made complete sense, having someone else part of the scene felt random and ruined the relationship a little bit for me.

I also wasn’t a fan of how the CNC scene was executed. My problem wasn’t the CNC and role-playing. We’re aware of Greg’s desires, and we know Marco slowly steps out of his comfort zone to please him, so the rape fantasy is not a problem. My issue was how their first time having penetrative sex was through that. I thought it would have been better if the two had already engaged sexually, and then, time later, the CNC role-playing took place. Again, personal preference. I’m picky when it comes to sex scenes. It would have added to their emotional connection because if they had had sex before the role-playing, it would have meant trust in a way the two probably didn’t expect. However, I found role-playing to be an excuse for a desire only as if the two were still exploring and not formed emotionally.

I thought Greg needed more communication. At times, Marco blamed himself for not meeting Greg’s needs and being unable to help him. I felt terrible for him because he thought he wasn’t doing his role right when in reality, he couldn’t do anything. When he would ask Greg to talk to or tell him what was bothering him, Greg would only imply things without telling Marco the entire situation. Luckily, this didn’t lead to third-act conflicts or unnecessary drama between them. Marco felt a little more mature than Greg many times, and I don’t even want to say it’s because he’s the Dom. I also wasn’t entirely rooting for the relationship the entire time. Initially, it felt like Marco was putting in more effort, and Greg wasn’t reciprocating. Greg was so caught up in his feelings for Richard that he wouldn’t process how Marco was interested in him.

Last but not least, the dead ex-love trope got frustrating. While grief and mourning don’t have timelines, I think executing them well in books is difficult if you make your characters feel about them all the time. It’s difficult because Marco couldn’t just tell Greg to get over Richard. They were together for more than twenty years, so it isn’t a wound that Greg can magically heal from and forget. I thought Marco was extremely patient with this. His care and dedication showed how worried he became and how understanding he was of Greg still thinking about Richard. However, this is presumably why I felt the trope became annoying. We were already more than halfway in, and the ghost of Richard was highly relevant to the story and Greg’s character. It would have bothered me less if we weren’t always aware of Richard’s ghost, but he was always in Greg’s presence. He took over a big chunk of the story, from telling us things he and Greg did, to the comparisons against Marco, to how Richard haunted Greg’s dreams. I’m not saying that Greg needed to get over him, but his pining got frustrating. I wondered when it would become less apparent in his inner monologue, but it never ended. This trope was also why Greg didn’t always communicate appropriately with Marco. Marco was willing to understand and do whatever he needed to show Greg he was all in, but that required Greg to talk about his feelings.

They weren’t competing, because Marco would never replace Richard. Marco was completely different and that was… just what it should be. Marco was what he wanted and needed now. Marco fit his calmer life, his confidence and experience of nearly fifty years, his despair over his lost love and his decision to move beyond it. Marco could give him intensity, but he could also give him hikes in the woods and tender baths and funny stories over dinner at every restaurant ever to put a dish with lemon on its menu. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have Marco’s attention all the time, but he suspected it would be glorious.

Despite how lovely this read was, it had its frustrating moments. There are many things to appreciate, especially the representation, like the reverse power dynamics (older sub, younger Dom), femme boy, and transgender main character. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely sold out on the rest of the series, so I’m not sure if I’ll read it. What’s stopping me is that book four features the couple from books 2 and 3 getting together. Knowing that makes me hesitant.

[D.L. Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

BR with my girl Cass!

Well goddam, they just threw in everything but the kitchen sink in this one.

Honestly, there’s a bit of disconnection. I’m not sure if it’s me or the book. When Greg asked Marco to make him cry, I didn’t feel much other than curiosity to see what would come next.

I do feel some for Marco, I feel injustice at him being such a good man/Dom, him giving and giving while it seems like Greg is beginning to take advantage. It’s one thing to grieve and ache but at a certain point lines blur.

I think once Marco went with Greg to visit his family, that was when Greg crossed the line and from his inner monologue he knew it.

Speaking of inner monologue, I feel like this has been an ongoing complaint from me lately. I’m sick to death of the redundancy, seriously we get how different Marco’s style is from Richard’s.

After the death and what they did together, after that final barrier was removed, I felt a small connection blossom in me. But a big part of me thinks, too little too late.

It all just feels a bit too complicated. Unnecessarily so. I suppose that’s real life, this story certainly conveyed a realistic relationship in which nothing is cut and paste. It takes considerations, jumping through hoops to understand what your person wants/needs. In that sense it worked but it was just a bit much for my overall enjoyment.

On the other hand, all the BDSM stuff was done well. I enjoyed Greg knowing one style with Richard and learning a whole different style with Marco. Marco’s creativity was interesting, and him as a Dom period was very alluring.

There’s so many things I enjoyed but at the same time a lot rubbed me the wrong way. I think with a few tweaks it would’ve been a lot more enjoyable.

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4**** stars


LOOK AT THIS COVERRR!!! It’s breathtaking! I love it. I was very much intrigued by the premise - a love story with a twink-ish, deaf, trans-man Dom and an older, widowed Sub as our main characters. Their dynamic was fascinating.

By the time the third chapter rolled around at only page 23 I already felt strongly connected to both main characters, not to speak of the strong connection Marco and Greg formed already. And nothing of it was even sexual yet - despite them meeting each other at a BDSM club.


I believe it’s not an easy thing to do for an author to write a love story that pleases a romance-reader’s heart when there is one mc still dedicating his love to a lost partner that was the love of that mc’s life - or so he thought - but I think the author did a wonderful and sensitive job of the transition from one love to another by simultaneously keeping the memories of Greg’s late husband intact and beloved.


Tho Marco had his uncertainties at times, he was a wonderful Dom (a Daddy Dom to be exact), totally different than what Greg had in his Dom, his husband before, but exactly what Greg needed. It was beautiful to witness.

I particularly loved that very last scene when they return to the BDSM club where they first met and doing a public scene for everyone to watch; Marco just looking like the model on the book’s cover.

That was the mindfuck of the whole thing. When he’d been with Richard, all he had to do was accept what happened, give himself up to his Sir’s control. Let himself be maneuvered and taken and hurt.

But with Marco, he had to embrace it. He had to act. He had to keep making choices to do what his Keeper wanted him to, brushing right up against his limits in a whole different way. It was so much more difficult, and somehow so much more intense because of it.

I loved learning about the usage of ASL and Marco being trans throughout the book. And what really melt my heart was when they found new terms for them to use (completely in sign language) because Daddy and boy weren’t doing it for them, their age and dynamic. *sniff


A beautiful, low-angst, very kinky romance I very much enjoyed reading. ♡





side note: I can certainly forgive some editing faux-pas but using the wrong character’s name is unfortunately something I can not easily forgive. Especially not when it happens more than once. I feel like someone should have noticed that before it was published - hence the rating is a bit lower than I would’ve given this book otherwise.

[Papie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is really difficult to rate. 🤷‍♀️

What I loved:
- Deaf and CODA MCs. I love learning about Deaf culture and ASL
- Transgender MC.
- Age-gap, because that’s always my favourite
- smaller feminine Dom with bigger masculine sub
- the feelings 😭❤️

What didn’t quite work:
- Marco as a Daddy. His insecurities, the constant negative thoughts, his personality. None of it screamed Daddy to me.
- the mismatched kinks. It really didn’t feel like either of them were fulfilling each other. I know relationships are all about compromise, but it was kinda sad and disappointing for both of them. And the whole Keeper/promiser thing really felt forced.
- While two of the sex scenes were really hot 🔥🔥🔥, most of them felt detached and mechanical. There was so much emphasis on the exact description of everything that I didn’t feel anything. I read kinky books to set my panties on fire, not fall asleep mid-kinky scene
- Richard. It was too much. Like Greg was just not ready for a relationship. It all seemed so unfair to Marco. Their relationship was so unbalanced. Again, that didn’t make sense to me in a Daddy/boy relationship, how Marco was basically waiting for any crumbs Greg would throw his way, and Greg was constantly holding himself back

So lots of feelings, a couple of really hot scenes, but also lots of frustrations and a few very boring sex scenes.

[Iman (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The touch of BDSM was great and diversed I adore it. I love great BDSM reps. They had chemistry, and I love that they communicate so well, but they were walking on eggshells too much and it was making me feel on edge. I’m not really sure about the dead ex trope in this one. I couldn’t enjoy it since the writing made me feel sad for Marco. There’s also some taboo elements as one of the BDSM scenes The third person in the scene on the last few pages was a bit icky, but I haven’t been feeling well lately so I don’t care much about this book.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars They found each other at a time and place where they both didn’t want to be, on Valentine's day at Escape a BDSM club. Both 'forced' by their friends.
Marco didn’t because he knew his friend will leave him with all the hearing people and Greg because three years ago he lost his Sir and husband over twenty years, and this special day is devastating him.

Marco is a slim, delicate, makeup-wearing, trans man, a Daddy with the most dominating eyes.
Greg is quite opposite, big, muscular and submissive.

Greg uses ASL with Marco when he understands Marco is deaf. Greg is a child of deaf adults (CODA) the reason he can use ASL. For Greg using ASL is a bit like coming home.

Marco is very careful with Greg. He sees all the hurt in his eyes.
Greg decides to go with Marco to his house and they have a scene.
In the middle of the night, Greg slips out of bed and out of the front door.
Gone and no reaction at all after that.
Months pass by and Marco, heavily disappointed, understands it was a one night stand.

After some point, they reconnect they still struggle and it’s all quite complicated. As if Richard, Greg’s deceased husband is a third. Always on the first row.
Marco had my deep respect for his determination. He had a rough time.

They start something, without giving it a name because both are used to other kinks.
The beauty of them together was special. Greg’s insecurities were endearing.
Marco saw right through them and saw the raw beauty.
The process to be together how Marco wanted it, yearned for, takes time.
Greg even told him he didn't want to call him Daddy

My heart dropped more than once, the hurt was palpable. Hurt, insecurities and healing were main here. Both men were vulnerable and flawed, never a perfect Daddy, Dom or boy, sub, It was one hard way of learning and improvisation. Their sexuality was honest, Marco as trans man was something special to experience.
They have an age-gap Greg is forty-nine and Marco... read yourself because it was a funny thing.
And there was ASL The beauty of ASL was immense., the moment the title was mentioned I cried ugly tears.
I truly understand the author’ consideration to make flashbacks about Greg’s life with Richard, because their intense D/s life and Richard’s death, had an enormous impact, for me (or maybe for Marco) it was almost a bit too much, I loved the focus on Marco and Greg more. My heart screamed to give Marco what he earned, I would have appreciated it very, for me this was a huge disappointment.
Overall a captivatingly, widely written story, a lot is going on, with appealing scenes, inner struggle, and emotions, all well developed. I enjoyed this one and found it a beautiful, emotional journey

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marco es trans y sordo, nacio en cuerpo de una mujer pero siempre se sintio hombre, asi que cumplio todo el proceso para ser quien debe ser, tanto por dentro pero por fuera. Pero ademas de eso, tambien es un Dom-Daddy, a quien le gusta cuidar de sus subs, pero que nunca ha tenido una relacion lo suficientemente larga para sentirse realizado. Asi que cuando va el dia de San Valentin a una reunion dentro de un Club BDSM llamado "Escape", no espera conseguir ahi a su sub perfecto, un hombre mayor con mirada triste que pareciera ser el unico que puede hablar su idioma, asi que se enfoca en hacer la conexion y hacerle sentir al hombre que ellos pudieran estar juntos, aunque sea como amigos.
Greg ha pasado los ultimos 3 anos atrapado en el duelo de su anterior Dom, un hombre con el que paso 20 anos de su vida y que lo dejo inesperadamente por un ataque cardiaco. Sin embargo, ahora a sus 50 anos, no espera volver a conseguir otro Dom que lo quiera y que pueda cumplir sus deseos. Pero cuando la noche de San Valentin ve a este hombre intentando llamar la atencion del Barman con sus manos, sabe que debe ayudarlo, y asi comienza a sentir cierta confianza en el, tal vez puedan ser amigos.
Pero la tristeza de Greg por la muerte de su Dom es tan fuerte que no sabe como superarla, aunque comienza a ver a Marco como mucho mas que un amigo, su culpa por haber "traicionado" a su fallecido Dom es tan fuerte que no lo deja avanzar, solo tiene que encontrar la manera de aceptarlo y dejarlo atras, para comenzar a vivir una nueva vida con Marco. Solo la paciencia de Marco y su fe de que puede cuidar a Greg, son los que lo mantiene ahi, esperando, deseando que Greg se de cuenta que su relacion puede llegar a ser mucho mas que solo una noche a la semana, mucho mas que una amistad, mucho mas que un experimento.
Ambos deberan superar sus inseguridades, y confiar por completo en el otro, si van a estar en una relacion duradera.

Cuando vi la sinopsis del libro se me parecio muchisimo a otro que habia leido, "un sub mayor viudo, se encuentra con un Dom mucho mas joven pero la culpa de traicionar a su Dom fallecido le impide entregarse por completo", pero hasta alli llegaron las similitudes, el resto de la trama es totalmente diferente, nuevo, entretenido, dramatico y algunos momentos pesado. No es un instan-love como tal, es mas bien un slow-burn, donde la pareja se conoce una noche, y entablan cierta amistad que va superando poco a poco hasta convertirse en algo sexual, y despues poco a poco convertirse en amor. Ademas, de la pareja, el Dom es sordo, asi que todas o casi todas las interacciones entre ellos son en lenguaje de senas, lo que me se me hizo un poco dificil de seguir al principio, pero despues fui entendiendo poco a poco los pequenos detalles con la pronunciacion o las palabras.
El autor hizo un magnifico trabajo al representar la culpa del sobrevieviente, y la incapacidad de llorar del sub, pero no logro que yo sintiera realmente ese dolor, tampoco llegue a entender las inseguridades del Dom con respecto a su cuerpo, creo que en eso el autor fallo un poco, ya que yo como lector no logre conectarme con ninguno de los personajes, ni principales, ni secundarios.
Pero sin embargo, resulto una lectura diferente y entretenida, asi que voy a continuar con la serie y ver como van evolucionando los otros personajes y ver si esta parece reaparece en algun momento.

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

* The writing style made the deafness more real to me, it's dynamic, powerful, and a different way to feel how the characters managed their communications barrier.
I was absorbing the characters, the vivid descriptions, the deep thoughts and conveyed emotions.
__ Riveting__ Bold__ Amazing __

* The beautiful, younger, transgender, deaf Dom, Marco, 37, wants to find a sub to care for.
The * older, silver fox type sub, Greg, 49, still misses his "Sir" of twenty years.
I liked Greg's realizations of how different each Dom is, yet still being able to give their sub what they need.



Graphic artist, Marco is a wonderful person, caring, deliberate in his knowledge of what his sub needs. He's a marvelous Dom, understanding, giving, steady, strong, and sturdy support.

Successful in business, Greg is deeply emotional person, needy and floundering without his "Sir." He knows what his role is, and the stability the relationship can bring, and his desires and emptiness he feels overwhelms him.

Slowly he finds that Marco has a different style, but gloriously accomplishes meeting Greg's needs.
I was touched by the process and the loving development of his relationship.

Love...


This is my first book by Reese Morrison, and I'll be checking out more books. Reese accomplished a marvelous romance with people with a specialty of needs. I appreciated the characters, the unique tale, sexy times, BDSM, Shibari, unique role play, and more.

I have read many books by other authors, and liked their handling of deafness, and I liked this one as well.
This was immensely enjoyable !

=======

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

But I think what I really miss is the feeling of release afterward. I miss aftercare. He paused, hands still raised. That probably sounds stupid.
No, not stupid. That's what makes kink beautiful.

I loved this and absolutely devoured it. It was fantastic in so many ways. I loved the way the communication was portrayed, the level of communication and all the nuances with ASL. A lot of thought was put behind it all and it really showed. I also really liked how Marco's identity was handled - from his Daddy side to his transgender nature. The sex scenes were amazing. A lot of them are actually in the background and reflected upon but it was done perfectly. Loved how the kink community was depicted here as well.
"You are beautiful," Marco voiced, vowels slightly flat but with intensity. "Submitting is about who you are inside, and you are a beautiful submissive."
The shock of hearing Marco's voice rang through him. He assumed that Marco hated to speak as much as most Deaf people did, so the fact that he was doing it now only emphasized his point further.
[...]
They sat quietly for a while. Greg couldn't think of anything to say, but Marco let him know that it was alright by folding their hands together. Marco was taking control and telling him that it was time to rest and soak in this unexpected comfort instead of speaking.

I was worried that, when Greg started to compare Marco and Richard, that things would get out of hand as far as either dismissing the relationship they had or throwing it aside. But it did neither of those things and was done very well. It takes Greg a bit to realize that Richard and Marco are completely different people and what they have is completely different, and there's nothing wrong with it. Marco is rock solid throughout and it's fantastic. It was great getting both of their POVs.

I was also worried about how the dialogues would go especially with the author's note at the beginning how they'd had difficulty themself about how to go about it. Nailed it. Done soo well. I loved the signs they came up for each other. We get so many sad and heartbreaking moments with Greg's deep losses and him trying to cope with them (but they're not just tossed in as plot devices). We also get so many sweet and fun moments between the two of them, and even get Greg's family in the mix where Marco really shines.
He definitely wouldn't be performing anywhere, but it was fun, and Marco appreciated it. Especially when the songs were really corny or repeated the same lyrics so he looked like a dufus trying to sign the same few words in increasingly elaborate and meaningful ways.

This is the first book I've read by Morrison and I will definitely be reading another of theirs again!

This was Marco's love language. Taking care of him. Meeting his needs when he didn't even understand what he needed or how to get it for himself.

[Jess Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn't often a book can surprise me with the kink but Love Language did. And they say smut isn't educational.

This book was missing some key points for me. I felt like Greg never really wanted Marco in the way that Marco wanted him. There at the end I was starting to see the affection he had for him, but it seemed like he was just going through the paces. Saying the right things and doing the right things to get to a destination I couldn't see.

Marco on the other hand completely warmed my heart in so many ways. His feelings about his body and the obstacles he had to overcome to be undeniably himself. Even though he felt completely comfortable in his own skin seeing him open up even more with Greg was undeniably one of my favorite parts of this book.

There was never that moment. That moment where I felt like they really connected, and they got to a point where they wanted the same things out of their relationship. This book did not lack steam, at all and there were even a couple of moments where I was like "WHOAH" which is no easy feat.

While I wanted more out of this book it was enjoyable enough, but I don't think I will be continuing with the series.

[Mirian]

DNF @ 33%
I don’t care about either character and Greg is way to whiny for me

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique characters - Marco is a Deaf, trans man, a strong Dom with an infusion of femme style, 36yrs. Greg is 49, greying, balding, overweight and deeply mourning the loss of his husband of 20yrs. He is also a submissive, an accomplished book publisher and a CODA (child of hearing adult).

There was so many interesting dynamics and things touched on here that felt authentic. Gregs first husband having passed away - they had had a 20yr age gap between them with Greg being the younger man. There are so many MM books with wide age gaps like this when they are happy and young but rarely do we see the other side of that.

Greg’s grief is still haunting him and I can see how this may annoy some readers but I felt it was very realistically written. They had been together for 20yrs, the ways he still impacted on his life and the stagnant place Greg was in felt very genuine.

The ASL was beautiful. I loved how they communicated almost solely in ASL and it was so wonderful explained, I could really see them speaking that way and it’s clear the author had real life, lived experience in ASL and the Deaf community. Loved this about the book and it’s what drew me to read it.

The relationship development felt organic and genuine, it was slow to establish, they platonically slept together without having wild sex every night, they lived normal lives and their miscommunication never felt contrived. It does give me the ick when Marco describes Greg as adorable and actions a bit like a child but I tried to ignored those bits.

I especially appreciated how Greg doesn’t like using the term “Daddy” so they create their own sign name for him whilst still keeping their dynamic. Personally I can see the appeal of a caring, doting partner but have never really understood the calling them ‘daddy’ thing.

The trans rep felt true and to a level of detail that appeased my curiosity whilst also being beautifully gender affirming. There is no mention of female body parts here at all in the traditional cis gender way. Marco is all man and I found his thoughts about his biological body and the way he uses his packer, his surgeries etc opened my eyes to trans men experiences.

Some things I didn’t love were the time jumps which sometimes I liked because it made their relationship natural but I got a little lost sometimes how much time has passed - the whole book takes place in a little over a year, sometimes the momentum felt a little flat.

I wasn’t a fan of the sex scenes, I didn’t really find them “sexy” although this didn’t matter as their emotional relationship was well done. Probably due to personal preferences - BDSM isn’t my favourite dynamic. I felt like the sex scenes didn’t quite match their relationship somehow and like I missed out on some crucial scenes of Greg exploring Marco’s body and learning more about him being trans. There are some scenes that explored this but I felt like a particular moment was missing.

There are a lot of different kinks exposed here, all seemed safe and consensual to my inexperienced eye but maybe a little too much variety in a relatively short page count.

It’s probably a sign I’m getting old when I can relate to these characters - “Boring, fifty-year-old Greg with his flabby belly and wrinkled eyes.” but I’m happy Greg found happiness.

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. I'm not normally drawn to the grieving widower MC, because it's just so sad. But this was wonderfully healing and optimistic. I loved how Marco and Greg took their time with each other and were so loving and careful. The kink was also excellent.

Something to be aware of as you read it are the time jumps. If anything, I wish this book were longer and more of the "slice of life" type things they did were on page. There were a couple of jumps in the book that were months long, which made the progression of their relationship and kink more realistic. I just wish I didn't have to mentally fill in all of those gaps and there was more. But that's also because I just really enjoyed the writing and relationship dynamic, and could read many more chapters of these two!

Tags: Trans MC, younger smaller Dom, older bigger top, met at a kink club (summer 2023 bingo!), deaf MC, ASL, friends to lovers, slow burn

Kink: sounding, CNC, exhibitionism, shibari, wax play, Daddy kink but MC's do not use the terms Daddy / boy

[Anita Kelly]

My god this was so soft and gentle?? Also loved the variety of scenes presented & the Deaf and trans rep.

[Ryland · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok, another one for the 'books-of-my-soul' shelf

this book UGH this book

where do i even begin?

i'm in love

i'm in love with reese morrison and i'm in love with marco and i'm in love with greg and let me tell you why because i can't shut up about this one-

1) marco was trans
marco was trans marco was trans marco was trans - do you know how HARD it is to find trans characters in mm romance with ACTUAL REALISTIC ON-PAGE SEX? and ESPECIALLY of the bdsm subgenre?

it's so hard they're practically nonexistent. but then reese morrison wrote 'love language' and now i can say that there's one thats especially close to my heart because it wasn't even a huge deal that marco was trans. that wasn't even the focus of the book. the focus of the book was still the relationship between marco and greg, and marco just happened to be trans - which comes with hurdles and certain discussions, yes, but i'm just really happy for once to read a book with a trans mc that isn't focused on him being trans. being trans myself, it just makes me feel normal and like i'm being represented in books that aren't focused all around the trans experience. i really hope that makes sense.

2) marco was deaf
please ON TOP OF BEING TRANS marco was DEAF a;sudhflakfdjxc please - the representation with this character (he was also latino.)

marco being deaf was important to me because people look at those of us with disabilities and think that we aren't like everyone else. we don't want things like everyone else. and i get that this isn't something everyone thinks, but enough do that it's very rare to see a deaf character in a book at all, let alone a romance book, and even more rare in a bdsm romance book - i think marco might be the only one i've come across actually.

having this representation is so incredibly important - and not only that, it made marco feel human. it made him relatable. it took him off of the page and made him seem like a real person to me, and that always makes it easier to connect to characters.

3) greg was a coda
if you're unfamiliar with the term coda, it stands for 'child of deaf adults' and it just means that greg's parents were deaf and he grew up in a household with deaf people, meaning he gets deaf culture, he understands deaf speak and shortened text slang, he gets the references and the jokes and he understands how marco grew up. he can understand marco's world because he grew up in it, but he also grew up in the hearing world, so he's a bridge of sorts.

4) sign language rep
i. was. so. excited.

not only did the author describe some of the signs and the significance of the movements or the way they looked, but they also made it sound erotic - and yet again i will bring up that nobody talks about sign language being sexy and it's frustrating because sign can definitely be sexy. i was happy to see sign being used and described in a way that added another dimension to marco and greg's connection, instead of it being explained as a deficit or a barrier between them.

it never was. and in many ways it brought them closer. AND GOD MARCO SIGNING ON GREG'S BODY gave me the FUCKING CHILLS man this shit was so ugh i have feelings

i never learned sign properly because i never really used it outside of my home, but being autistic i grew up with sometimes quite prolonged bouts of selective mutism when things got too overwhelming for me. instead of letting it be a barrier, one of my teachers started teaching me sign. i've grown up with a reader's mind - always emersed in the next story, but i could never find anyone like me.

marco feels like me.

this story was very personal to me for a lot of these reasons, and aside from all of that, it was also just really fucking sexy okay, i'm not even gonna lie. the sex was hot. there were ropes involved. it checked all the boxes.

and under all the personal feeling shit and sinful sexy times was another message about grief and trauma and growth as a person - about letting go of expectations of who you think you're supposed to be and learning to accept who you are, even if that means mourning who you were and who you could've been, because life is better in the now.

i don't know i feel like i'm just rambling at this point. maybe this book gave me too many feelings to be properly coherent, but i had to at least try to put my appreciation into words because this book really meant a lot to me

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is such a touching story, with great emotional depth. The grief Greg feels, and the guilt he struggles with are palpable, but this is also full of moments of joy and comfort which made the emotional balance very enjoyable.

There is maybe a bit too much pondering and not enough talking between the MCs though, and parts of it felt a bit drawn out even though this is not at all a long book.

I liked the moments of them engaging in BDSM scenes not just for sex but as an emotional outlet, and a way to deepen intimacy between them. There's a fair bit of reflection around styles of Doms, negotiations between partners, and also honorifics used. I thought the names they chose for each other in the end were lovely and really reflected their relationship.

The language aspects were great and I appreciated the author's note about their background with ASL, and how difficult it is to put to words on paper. It all felt very insightful and I learned a lot about the language.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I really liked this one. Based on the descriptions I was expecting it to be maybe all smut no plot, or take place primarily in a BDSM club - but that wasn’t the case.

The book opens on Valentine’s Day, and Marco and Greg are both guests at a BDSM club unwillingly. Marco is new to town, Deaf (but in the company of only hearing folks), a dom, and trans. They meet when Greg (who’s an older sub who lost his husband and partner of 20 years three years earlier) helps him order a drink; Greg is a CODA (child of deaf adults).

The book takes place over 14 months, as Marco and Greg play together, become friends, and work through Greg’s issues with intimacy. He still has a lot of thoughts and hang ups about his husband Richard, who was also his dom, and so we see a lot of hurt comfort as Marco helps him work through sadness and confused feelings. Richard becomes a ghost in the relationship - always there like a third wheel. We see the journey of Greg realizing his hurt isn’t as fresh as it once was; trying to hold onto Richard and push Marco away; having dreams and memories of him; and trying to understand how he can love two differently people equally suited for him.

He’d been thinking that a lot over the past few months. That he missed Richard, but maybe not with the same immediacy that he’d felt before. Like maybe he missed being in a relationship as much as he missed the man himself. He felt horrible thinking it.

I really enjoyed the way Reese Morrison wrote the conversations between Marco and Greg. They had a note at the beginning of the book that ASL is very difficult to represent in English because of the grammar and style, and because a single ASL word can be translated to English in dozens of ways. Reese depicted this by telling the sign for something in ASL but what it was supposed to represent. For ex:

Greg sighed, and Marco decided to put himself out there a little. I’m a Daddy, he offered. Which means I like taking care of people>,/i>
Marco could see Greg processing this.
Greg turned enough to face him and signed FATHER as a question, apparently unsure how to give the word the context it needed to express his meaning.
Daddy, Marco signed back, repeating the basic sign for FATHER, but adding a bit of a smirk and mouthing “daddy” at the same time. Now it was dirty and sweet, completely different from being someone’s parent.

There are lots of conversations about consent and gender identity. On the first night they meet, Marco tells Greg he’s trans and there’s some questions, some awkwardness - because Greg has never been with someone who’s trans, he isn’t sure what it means, and he tells Marco he doesn’t want to treat him like an experiment.

I really liked the character of Marco because he was so complex. He’s a dom, he’s a Daddy in that he likes to take care of people, but he’s gentle. He’s a caregiver. He has insecurities and flaws. And although he feels secure in his masculinity and his body, it takes him a very long time to feel comfortable showing all of himself to Greg. The moment he did was so powerful. And he continues to challenge gender stereotypes to express who he is.

“I think that… it’s like I was chasing masculinity like it was the holy grail or something. And now that I’m here, it feels a little… one dimensional. Does that make sense? Like, I spent ears dreaming of being able to wear a tie to work, and now that I can, that feels a little limiting, too. The colors are just so boring. I feel like, I’m definitely a man. But maybe my gender’s a bit bigger than what “male” means to other people.”

CW: BDSM - shibari (rope bondage), wax play, consensual non-consent, humiliation, voyeurism; death of a partner (past), death of a parent; ableism

[Bora Noona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure I am really the best at reviewing in a way that will convince other readers to give this book a chance, so I am just going to share a few of my favorite things.
The first thing I noticed about this book was the gorgeous cover. I don’t really have high expectations for covers except to give me an idea of what the characters might look like, but this book had a scene at the end that embodied the cover to perfection.
Each character came with their own baggage, but instead of it defining them, it was more like a facet in a precious gem. Sometimes it was a hard and sharp edge giving them a sense of insecurity in themselves, but it gave dimension for the readers, making the characters feel real. I always enjoy a book that can take issues that I am not well versed in such as: being transgender, Deaf, or an older sub. I like being able to look into the minds of people who are different from me so that I can better understand their world, and consequently the world all around me. This author was able to do that in this book without feeling “preachy” or one-dimensional.
Lastly, one of the things I liked best is something that happened towards the end. Marco was a “Daddy Dom”, but Greg, being older, felt uncomfortable calling him Daddy. Just had an issue with the word. So they came up with their own names for it in ASL, which made me spectacularly happy. Because Greg didn’t have an issue with the Daddy type care, and Marco, being a good Daddy, didn’t let a technicality keep him from loving his boy. And their ASL names for each other: Keeper and Promiser….*sighs dramatically in a romantic way*. I loved it!
Anyways, I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about: transgender m/m relationships, kink, Daddy/boy relationships, older subs, or different cultures. I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to reading other books by this author.

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago but had the privilege to beta-listen to the audio today.

This book is special in so many ways. Reese is great with gender and other-abled/disabled rep. With a deaf trans Dom MC and an older sub widower, it just had the perfect mix of drama and intrigue I love. I might not seek out Christopher Solon, he did a great job with such a unique book. There’s a lot of nuance that he hit right. I listened to it in one sitting for a reason right? Even if you don’t do audio, I highly encourage people to read this just to get outside of the typical MM trope. I read Reese for that very reason.

[Peppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book for a while now but never picked it up but I’m so glad I finally did it because this was such a delightful read!

This book had beautiful unique characters and it was absolutely refreshing to read this book. In this story is a lot going on but all of this was packed and written so well, that it wasn’t too much at all!
it was really sexy,kinky,sweat and steamy with a bit of angst.

I can’t really say what I loved the most about this book because everything was wonderful! I loved the story, the characters and their relationship development.
I‘ll definitely check some more books out from this author 🖤

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story

When I started this book I wasn't expecting there to be so much depth. I enjoy stories with age gap/daddy kink and when I read books with BDSM elements, I thought it would be nothing but scene after scene. While there were scenes (some of which were very creative), I was pulled in to the journey the MCs were on. I enjoyed watching them make their way to each other. The author was incredibly respectful and sensitive to their characters. So much so that the story inspires me to try to be better at those things myself.

[nagel__bagel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Incredible, tender read featuring unique characters on a kinky and emotional journey together, made even more memorable by a minimum of spoken dialogue. Highly recommend.

[♥ Rebecca ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy age gap romances and daddy kink. And having the daddy be the younger one was new to me and an interesting dynamic. Both characters were really sweet and I loved them and I loved their intense relationship and how they slowly fell in love.

But as an asexual there were a few scenes that made me uncomfortable. Reading m/m is my niche. They are usually almost sickly sweet and cliche in the best way. I know what to expect and the sex is pretty much always about love and romance. I rarely rarely rarely come across any sex in m/m romance that I can’t handle.

But in this book there was a scene called CNC. Consensual non consent. They role-played non-consent. It was too much for me and I had to skip it. Also there was another scene that I didn’t enjoy too much but I was able to finish reading. It was at the end when they were doing a public scene at a club and invited another sub from the audience to join. I hate sharing in this context. Since the other sub had no feelings for them. Casual sex is one of my biggest triggers and I really don’t like seeing sex between people without love and romance involved. Or at least the potential for it. Since a large portion of m/m romances start with a bar hookup.

So now I’m really nervous to start the next book in the series. I’m scared that it will have more scenes like this, and once I let them in my head it’s too late to get them out. So it’s probably best not to risk it.

[Hart_D (ajibooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between four and five stars. I really enjoyed this and I'm excited to read more books of this kind. The cover caught my eye before I knew what it was about, and I wonder if the photo inspired the author. It's so striking.

There's a line late in the book that describes this image really well:

Like a dark, seductive fairy that would disappear if he got too close, or maybe lock him away and keep him forever if he dared to touch.

That isn't the plot of the book, but it is about Marco taking charge of Greg with love and patience.

I would've preferred it if the characters had talked about a few of the things that happened before they took place, especially the first time Marco gets fully naked with Greg.. But that's my only real complaint, and I look forward to reading more of this series soon.

[~nikki the recovering book addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story

This is a new-to-me author and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The beginning was a little shaky and I had almost given up but I’m glad I kept at it because it just got better and better.

There was an underlying emotional tug to the heartstrings that the author did very well. I kept expecting dramatic outbursts because it could so easily have been part of the plot line but I’m so glad it didn’t because it gave a really beautiful tone to the story and I think the story was definitely richer for it.

Will definitely look out for more from this incredible author!

[isa (queenofswordsandwords) · Rating 5 out of 5]

➸ Older sub, younger dom
➸ Trans def mexican hero
➸ Dealing with grief
➸ Learning to fit together

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post about this beautiful book. I read it last summer and I still think about it. There is something very tender about their relationship. Some beautiful and honest communication in ASL. And I was just very moved by how Marco showed how much he cared for Greg.

[Victoria (Eve's Alexandria) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense nuanced examination of what it means to find love and sexual release again after losing a life partner. Greg, a sub pushing 50, has been grieving his husband and Sir, Richard, for three years when he meets Marcus, a 37 year old Deaf trans Dom. Marcus is nothing like Richard. He’s attentive and affectionate, dominating through focused care and power play rather than strict rules or rough sex. But Greg is drawn to him instantly and their connection over a shared language - ASL; Greg’s parents are also Deaf - is the basis of a tenuous new bond. It’s difficult to build a new relationship though, especially when their kinks don’t seem to align.

CWs for death of a spouse, death of a parent, BDSM including pain play, consensual non-consent, exhibitionism.

[scarr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-felt story about how non-linear grief is and the uncertainty of new relationships after a certain age. Marco is a Dom in his 30s who has been establishing his business and Greg - a sub in his 50s - has been mourning the death of his spouse and Dom. The dynamic between Marco and Greg was so interesting because their kinks didn't line up perfectly; it took time and a lot of work for them to find a way to connect - every step forward also saw some fumbling backward. I love how Reese Morrison writes kink so seeing a couple work out the kinks (lol) in their kink was refreshing. Although there was instant attraction, it was several months before this couple felt solid - which worked so well for their individual journeys.

CWs provided by author: This book contains hurt/comfort themes, predicament bondage, sounding, shibari, wax, and CNC role play, just to get started... and a HEA ending.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 von 5*

Das Buch hatte echt Potential und ich fand den Aspekt des Altersunterschied, aber auch die Beschreibung wie die Helden mit ALS kommunizieren sehr spannend. Leider wurde das vorhandene Potential nicht ausgeschöpft und die Geschichte hat sich ein wenig im Klischee verloren. Das war sehr schade.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: past death of husband, incest play

This had so many great layers to it! Younger Dom with older sub! Deaf Mexican trans hero! Sub is grieving the death of his husband and Dom! They meet at a kink club and Greg, who is the Cild of Deaf Adults (CODA) is able to translate for Marco, who is Deaf! The combination of all of these elements really worked for me and led to great discussion with friends who’d also read it.

I really loved the way the author handled ASL and when Marco and Greg would sign vs. Marco using his voice. The way ASL affected the way Marco texted because of glossing was really neat. The author’s choices around language/ASL added a whole other dimension, especially with details like how the names they eventually call each other are only in ASL. I highly recommend reading the author’s note that goes into more detail because I found it to be fascinating. I’m curious to know what Deaf reviewers make of it.

Grief stories are really my thing because of my background in hospice and bereavement counseling. Greg and Richard were married for 20 years and Richard died unexpectedly three years prior. Greg is grieving very heavily and has isolated himself in that grief. He’s just starting to think about starting something new but he’s unsure, in part because of the way Richard took care of him and directed his life. Meeting Marco makes him question many things, starting with what he’s ready for (sex, romance, kink) and the ways grief might have changed him. I was bummed the story started going in the direction of Greg's marriage maybe not being great or Richard not treating him as well as he deserved. Finding love again doesn't mean you didn’t have a good relationship with your previous partner. Greg's confusion about Richard was fine. It can illustrate how we might not be drawn to the same kind of people or interested in the same kinks as before. That's always great to explore. However, he overheard his siblings talking about Richard negatively and the details we're given about Richard (he never learned ASL and therefore couldn’t communicate with Greg’s parents!) made him seem pretty selfish. But then that thread never really went anywhere so I'm not sure what we're supposed to take away about Richard or Greg's relationship with him.

Marco's emotional arc wasn't as well developed as Greg's but I really liked him and appreciated the way his feelings about his gender identity evolved. I’m very much Team Marco. He took such amazing care of Greg, even when Greg didn't necessarily deserve it.

This featured a couple of kinks you don’t often see in BDSM romance, which I generally enjoy. No kink-shaming here but I did struggle a bit with the consensual nonconsent incest play. That scene was uncomfortable to read, mainly because it’s not my kink. I would urge caution if that is triggering for you—you could easily skip those pages it happens toward the end; keep an eye out for Greg watching Marco doing yoga. However, Greg recognizing that it was Marco's gift to him was crucial and I can see why it happened and how it helped give Greg some closure with his grief.

I’m definitely interested in trying more from this author!

Character notes: Marco is a 36 year old Deaf Mexican trans graphic designer and Dom Daddy. He also describes himself as a “makeup-wearing twink.” Greg is a 49 year old white fat gay submissive who works in publishing. He is CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). This is set in San Francisco.

CW: death of husband 3 years ago (heart attack), complicated grief, Deaf main character, ableist microaggressions, internalized fatphobia, consensual nonconsent incest play (uncle-nephew), humiliation kink, reference to transphobia, alcohol, ableist language, death of mother