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The Beauty and the Beast #1
The Beast's Beauty
"No one will ever look past these scars."Once a popular singer, Griffin lost everything to a fire. Society cast him aside when it became clear he was no longer handsome. Sure that no one will ever see beyond the scars that have ruined half of his body, he turns to desperate measures to find companionship."How can I do anything but surrender?"Kidnapped because of his looks, Ryder is delivered to Griffin to become anything his master wants him to be. He is repeatedly forced to choose between humiliation and worse. Each time he obeys Griffin, a piece of him breaks away. Can he truly refuse when every option is worse than the next?In this psychological drama, two men struggle with their definitions of what society labels beauty as opposed to a beast... and they learn that the true definition of beauty might not be as clear as they'd thought.
172 pages, Paperback
First published January 17, 2019
134 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
About the author
R. Phoenix
82 books568 followersR. Phoenix has an unhealthy fascination with contrasts: light and dark, heroes and villains, order and chaos. She believes that love can corrupt and power can redeem. Her muse is a sadomasochistic slave driver who thinks it's terribly amusing to give her the best ideas when she just got comfortable and warm in bed, and she passes on that torture to her readers. She also tries entirely too hard to be funny, and she mercilessly inflicts her terrible sense of humor upon anyone who speaks to her. She'd love it if you'd say hello!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
November 16, 2024
This is what I wanted Wrong Way Home and Primal to be.
I didn’t think I was going to be reading another book by this author so soon but I couldn’t resist. Raissa is known for her dark romance, and as a softie, vanilla reader, I was curious if her dark romance would appeal to me because sadly, one of her sweet contemporaries with hurt/comfort didn’t. And let me tell you: it did.
What I loved the most was Ryder’s hesitation throughout pretty much the entire story. While it’s short at only 174 pages, it’s enough for Ryder to have given in quickly, yet my boy resisted and resisted until he mentally and physically could no longer. I’ve been waiting for a captive/captor romance where the main character who is captured doesn’t give in so easily and only thinks with their dick (or vagina), lusting after the character and forgetting that they were literally kidnapped. I loved seeing Ryder’s dedication to fighting, himself and Griffin, and holding out as much as he could. He doesn’t give in because he wants to but because he doesn’t have a choice. Yet throughout this, he’s uncomfortable, humiliated and scared; he’s fearful of what will happen and doesn’t want to make things worse. He’s stubborn but dedicated, showing a strong appearance but also reflecting off it. He wasn’t a doormat and knew what was happening was wrong. His relationship with Griffin isn’t a relationship of his own; it’s a forced one where he needs to play and act a role for the sake of survival.
Griffin’s character is hypocritical and toxic, but he doesn’t try to be anything else. He’s a beast, a monster, and one out to take away Ryder’s life for his own benefit. He doesn’t care what he needs to do to make Ryder his pet (in this case, his dog). He lashes out more mentally than anything else, not approaching physically. This makes for a compelling manipulative game for Ryder, showing him kindness when Ryder does good and aggressiveness when he doesn’t behave right. I loved this tactic not because it’s not the usual we see in captive/captor romances but also because it played with Ryder’s mind yet he still continues prevailing as much as he could. He used his good behavior to also play with Griffin but when he could, he’d try to get out of the situation. This went to show me that Ryder wasn’t weak, physically and mentally, and did everything out of cause for his own health instead of because of need and want. Griffin’s inner monologue was even funny sometimes, giving us some little humor where he tried understanding his behavior. I love when authors try to give us reasonings to sympathize with the characters but don’t force it on us.
The psychological games and manipulation Phoenix does is outstanding. We see Ryder be slowly manipulated, made to believe what Griffin tells him. There isn’t any love, and I don’t think there is supposed to be any. Even though this is classified as a dark gay romance, the romance is nowhere to be seen because of the character dynamics and power exchange. We have forced pup play (including wearing a collar and harness, drinking and eating out of a bowl, being leashed, crawling, having a tail plug, and mitts), master/slave, “praise” (called a good boy when Griffin is a good dog), dubcon/noncon, and forced enema use. While Griffin finds Ryder attractive and wants him to be that companion he longs for, Ryder never sees anything in Griffin, which I, once again, appreciated.
Despite this, I had a few issues. For starters, I didn’t like how we were thrown into the kidnapped scene from the beginning. With the story already being short, it didn’t give much room for characterization to be fully adapted. There’s not much we know about both Ryder and Griffin (if anything, really) besides the basic things. Some may not have an issue with this, but I like having more information of the characters. I would’ve liked to see how it all started, more backstory on how this all came to be. We know how Griffin was feeling and what he did to get Ryder, but I would’ve liked to see everything from the start, get an idea of what Griffin and Ryder were like before. There’s not much offered about who Griffin and Ryder are besides the ex-musician now turned scarred kidnapper who paid to have Ryder kidnapped because he wants a companion and is lonely and the frat boy who was kidnapped and forced to be a puppy. Maybe this is all they are? Who knows. If that’s the case, it’s a little boring. And lastly, I hope we get more confirmation on Ryder’s sexuality. He says he isn’t gay, and it could be, but then what would be the point? He has one physical response to Griffin, but it’s not so much for him and instead because he was being touched and, as they both stated, it has been too long since he was touched.
All in all though, I found this intriguing, and I’m really curious to see how book 2 plays out. Ryder is slowly becoming Ryder less and less and more Toby, the pup Griffin wants; Griffin is slowly earning Ryder/Toby’s obedience and having to work less for it. I don’t think it would be love in the sense that we know, but of course when it comes to any form of Stockholm syndrome and dark romance, is it ever? This is a story where morals and ethics must be put aside or you won’t enjoy it (enjoyment is subjective here) and instead you’d just be disgusted and thrown off. I, for one, found it interesting, and I’m curious to see how it’ll develop in the sequel.
I didn’t think I was going to be reading another book by this author so soon but I couldn’t resist. Raissa is known for her dark romance, and as a softie, vanilla reader, I was curious if her dark romance would appeal to me because sadly, one of her sweet contemporaries with hurt/comfort didn’t. And let me tell you: it did.
What I loved the most was Ryder’s hesitation throughout pretty much the entire story. While it’s short at only 174 pages, it’s enough for Ryder to have given in quickly, yet my boy resisted and resisted until he mentally and physically could no longer. I’ve been waiting for a captive/captor romance where the main character who is captured doesn’t give in so easily and only thinks with their dick (or vagina), lusting after the character and forgetting that they were literally kidnapped. I loved seeing Ryder’s dedication to fighting, himself and Griffin, and holding out as much as he could. He doesn’t give in because he wants to but because he doesn’t have a choice. Yet throughout this, he’s uncomfortable, humiliated and scared; he’s fearful of what will happen and doesn’t want to make things worse. He’s stubborn but dedicated, showing a strong appearance but also reflecting off it. He wasn’t a doormat and knew what was happening was wrong. His relationship with Griffin isn’t a relationship of his own; it’s a forced one where he needs to play and act a role for the sake of survival.
Griffin’s character is hypocritical and toxic, but he doesn’t try to be anything else. He’s a beast, a monster, and one out to take away Ryder’s life for his own benefit. He doesn’t care what he needs to do to make Ryder his pet (in this case, his dog). He lashes out more mentally than anything else, not approaching physically. This makes for a compelling manipulative game for Ryder, showing him kindness when Ryder does good and aggressiveness when he doesn’t behave right. I loved this tactic not because it’s not the usual we see in captive/captor romances but also because it played with Ryder’s mind yet he still continues prevailing as much as he could. He used his good behavior to also play with Griffin but when he could, he’d try to get out of the situation. This went to show me that Ryder wasn’t weak, physically and mentally, and did everything out of cause for his own health instead of because of need and want. Griffin’s inner monologue was even funny sometimes, giving us some little humor where he tried understanding his behavior. I love when authors try to give us reasonings to sympathize with the characters but don’t force it on us.
The psychological games and manipulation Phoenix does is outstanding. We see Ryder be slowly manipulated, made to believe what Griffin tells him. There isn’t any love, and I don’t think there is supposed to be any. Even though this is classified as a dark gay romance, the romance is nowhere to be seen because of the character dynamics and power exchange. We have forced pup play (including wearing a collar and harness, drinking and eating out of a bowl, being leashed, crawling, having a tail plug, and mitts), master/slave, “praise” (called a good boy when Griffin is a good dog), dubcon/noncon, and forced enema use. While Griffin finds Ryder attractive and wants him to be that companion he longs for, Ryder never sees anything in Griffin, which I, once again, appreciated.
Despite this, I had a few issues. For starters, I didn’t like how we were thrown into the kidnapped scene from the beginning. With the story already being short, it didn’t give much room for characterization to be fully adapted. There’s not much we know about both Ryder and Griffin (if anything, really) besides the basic things. Some may not have an issue with this, but I like having more information of the characters. I would’ve liked to see how it all started, more backstory on how this all came to be. We know how Griffin was feeling and what he did to get Ryder, but I would’ve liked to see everything from the start, get an idea of what Griffin and Ryder were like before. There’s not much offered about who Griffin and Ryder are besides the ex-musician now turned scarred kidnapper who paid to have Ryder kidnapped because he wants a companion and is lonely and the frat boy who was kidnapped and forced to be a puppy. Maybe this is all they are? Who knows. If that’s the case, it’s a little boring. And lastly, I hope we get more confirmation on Ryder’s sexuality. He says he isn’t gay, and it could be, but then what would be the point? He has one physical response to Griffin, but it’s not so much for him and instead because he was being touched and, as they both stated, it has been too long since he was touched.
All in all though, I found this intriguing, and I’m really curious to see how book 2 plays out. Ryder is slowly becoming Ryder less and less and more Toby, the pup Griffin wants; Griffin is slowly earning Ryder/Toby’s obedience and having to work less for it. I don’t think it would be love in the sense that we know, but of course when it comes to any form of Stockholm syndrome and dark romance, is it ever? This is a story where morals and ethics must be put aside or you won’t enjoy it (enjoyment is subjective here) and instead you’d just be disgusted and thrown off. I, for one, found it interesting, and I’m curious to see how it’ll develop in the sequel.
August 2, 2019
This is a review for both The Beast's Beauty and The Beauty's Beast since they are two parts of a continuous story.
This was a delicious, dark, psychological drama that drew me right in and kept me reading. It's not a romance and it is definitely in the non-con, dub-con, Stockholm Syndrome camp .
There is a dual POV, which allows the reader to feel anger and hatred on Ryder's behalf and yet still see bits of Griffin that show he isn't the complete psycho he would otherwise come off as. While there were times I felt the story was a bit repetitive, it did give good insight into both men's thinking and their conflicting feelings about their behaviors.
This was my first R. Phoenix experience and I'll be looking forward to reading more.
This was a delicious, dark, psychological drama that drew me right in and kept me reading. It's not a romance and it is definitely in the non-con, dub-con, Stockholm Syndrome camp .
There is a dual POV, which allows the reader to feel anger and hatred on Ryder's behalf and yet still see bits of Griffin that show he isn't the complete psycho he would otherwise come off as. While there were times I felt the story was a bit repetitive, it did give good insight into both men's thinking and their conflicting feelings about their behaviors.
This was my first R. Phoenix experience and I'll be looking forward to reading more.
May 5, 2025
Yeah this was bad lmao. The kidnapper honestly had a super insecure way of dealing with his victim like dude you bought someone to be your puppy fucking own it at the very least and stop feeling mildly bad and uncomfortable about what you are doing??? I also found the victim to be annoying and I hate to say it but I honestly think if I was in this situation I would have not given in so easily like I’m making this shitty and uncomfortable for EVERYBODY involved no I will not bark for you and preform my own enema by day two get your own hands dirty you freak. There was no good mind break or Stockholm syndrome like he just kinda accepted his fate after a while and it wasn’t even hot or kinky like they don’t even fuck there is just such a strange energy that I personally hated. I did skim the second one and I guess the victim decided he would rather be a kitten and the kidnapper just goes with it but then he lets him go because he loves him or something but the victim comes running back because he misses being his kitten and it was just not cute babes let me tell you. Anyway R. Phoenix has now disappointed me twice and they are on some thin ice and I am hesitant to try again with them
April 3, 2019
Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.5
Well.. it has a lot of deliciously off limit stuff that my sometimes dark-ish grey mind devoured when in the mood.
I absolutely LOVE the non-con thing when i’m in the mood. So this didn’t disappoint in that way at all.
I found it interesting how the “Bad guy” really isn’t all that BAD as you would think. I mean, if I understand correctly, Griffin had bought himself a slave off a group op professional human traffickers here? It’s not really said in that much detail, which is one thing I would have maybe liked a word or two more about but seeings this is a short read, and that the detail behind “how-did-we-get-him-here” isn’t really needed to be spelled out in how it comes together I could overlook that little thing.
I think we tend to want to make the bad guys pure evil when we think of things like this. But, Griffin really isn’t pure evil. He knows he is doing the wrong thing. He doesn’t want to hurt Ryder but he craves company, and in his own messed up way he thinks that this is the only way to reach that goal.
I’m not really big on puppy play but I will read it when I enjoy the story around it. This has been light so far, basically ‘training’ or trying to get Ryder into his role of companion for Griffin.
Also a little insight into Griffin’s psyche I think. Getting a dog isn’t enough. He wants the companionship but he wants MORE than what a dog can give, being obviously the sex part of the fantasy, yet not a “human” companion? He doesn't take Ryder to be a human slave.
I think it’s going to be interesting in seeing where this goes. I can’t wait to get my hands on book two.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.5
Well.. it has a lot of deliciously off limit stuff that my sometimes dark-ish grey mind devoured when in the mood.
I absolutely LOVE the non-con thing when i’m in the mood. So this didn’t disappoint in that way at all.
I found it interesting how the “Bad guy” really isn’t all that BAD as you would think. I mean, if I understand correctly, Griffin had bought himself a slave off a group op professional human traffickers here? It’s not really said in that much detail, which is one thing I would have maybe liked a word or two more about but seeings this is a short read, and that the detail behind “how-did-we-get-him-here” isn’t really needed to be spelled out in how it comes together I could overlook that little thing.
I think we tend to want to make the bad guys pure evil when we think of things like this. But, Griffin really isn’t pure evil. He knows he is doing the wrong thing. He doesn’t want to hurt Ryder but he craves company, and in his own messed up way he thinks that this is the only way to reach that goal.
I’m not really big on puppy play but I will read it when I enjoy the story around it. This has been light so far, basically ‘training’ or trying to get Ryder into his role of companion for Griffin.
Also a little insight into Griffin’s psyche I think. Getting a dog isn’t enough. He wants the companionship but he wants MORE than what a dog can give, being obviously the sex part of the fantasy, yet not a “human” companion? He doesn't take Ryder to be a human slave.
I think it’s going to be interesting in seeing where this goes. I can’t wait to get my hands on book two.
March 9, 2019
[Q] Absolutely adored this book!
It reminded me a bit of John Fowles' The Collector which is always a good thing. It was dark but at the same time, I personally didn't find it oppressive. It didn't come across as ridiculously over the top for me which some novels like this can do. It didn't get to the point where I felt it was cartoony. It felt real and raw. In the best possible way.
A part of that I believe, is that the characters were more realistic, not perfect which I felt gave this story a depth you don't often find anymore. Plus, I really liked Griffin. Despite what he was doing I felt he never came across as just a "monster."
It definitely left me wanting more and I am entirely looking forward to the sequel including a new kink "kitty play" ;) Can't wait for this!
It reminded me a bit of John Fowles' The Collector which is always a good thing. It was dark but at the same time, I personally didn't find it oppressive. It didn't come across as ridiculously over the top for me which some novels like this can do. It didn't get to the point where I felt it was cartoony. It felt real and raw. In the best possible way.
A part of that I believe, is that the characters were more realistic, not perfect which I felt gave this story a depth you don't often find anymore. Plus, I really liked Griffin. Despite what he was doing I felt he never came across as just a "monster."
It definitely left me wanting more and I am entirely looking forward to the sequel including a new kink "kitty play" ;) Can't wait for this!
February 13, 2019
More, Please.
"Let me know if you want to see these guys in another book." Well, duh! Can it be ready by tomorrow?
"Let me know if you want to see these guys in another book." Well, duh! Can it be ready by tomorrow?
January 25, 2022
U know a book is great when u willingly stayed up all night till 5 AM to finish it altho u have work tmr, because u just couldn't put it down without knowing the end of the story.
April 22, 2019
3 stars
To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about this story. I almost gave up a few chapters in because it felt way darker than I was prepared for. But I persevered out of curiosity and I’m at the end and I really don’t know how to feel about this.
Dubious consent has always been a show stopper for me. But this one, hadn’t quite reached that point. Griffin has at least some conscience. But the choices he made is also less conscientious than expected.
I suppose it’s interesting that while Griffin is clearly not a good guy, the way the authors paint him allows one to sympathise with him, and it gets one thinking doesn’t it? I’m not saying that he’s innocent. Far from it but it’s just really interesting to see the human psyche behind the bad decisions.
To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about this story. I almost gave up a few chapters in because it felt way darker than I was prepared for. But I persevered out of curiosity and I’m at the end and I really don’t know how to feel about this.
Dubious consent has always been a show stopper for me. But this one, hadn’t quite reached that point. Griffin has at least some conscience. But the choices he made is also less conscientious than expected.
I suppose it’s interesting that while Griffin is clearly not a good guy, the way the authors paint him allows one to sympathise with him, and it gets one thinking doesn’t it? I’m not saying that he’s innocent. Far from it but it’s just really interesting to see the human psyche behind the bad decisions.
January 27, 2019
I just finished The Beast's Beauty and I loved it. R Phoenix you are a genius cause no matter how much my brain said I should hate Griffin for what he was doing with Ryder/Toby my heart would not let me hate him.There is beauty in this beast and I need him to see it The Title so belongs with this book. Such a well written story . It had it The mind games in this for both Griffin and Ryder were brilliant. I for one really want to see the next book. While I'm still not sure if I want to see Ryder turned in to Toby I am very very sure that I want to see where you take this next. So That is a big FAT YES to another book with these two. Cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 24, 2024
Not sure how I feel about this
It's well written, and I'm kind of glad that it focuses more on the psychological aspect rather than physical.
In the end, I'm still a little uncomfortable with the direction of the story, and that's why I give it one less star.
It's well written, and I'm kind of glad that it focuses more on the psychological aspect rather than physical.
In the end, I'm still a little uncomfortable with the direction of the story, and that's why I give it one less star.
March 22, 2019
This is totally working for me in all it's wrongness.
August 26, 2019
Not a romance and the “kink” in this is not my cuppa but I’m curious enough to see how the story ends in book 2.
March 12, 2020
I'm reviewing book 1 and 2 together.
I wouldn't exactly say I enjoyed this duet, due to the humiliation that this story was focusing on, but it definitely kept me interested. On one hand seeing how the MC would deal with wanting a specific arrangement, but getting something different held my attention, but I feel like it was rushed. I hoped the author would go even deeper with the emotions and would linger on certain issues Ryder and Griffin were facing. Also details were missing, that of course were not important to the story, but to me it would have made all the difference. For example there wasn't much revealed about Ryder's abduction: where he was at the time, how the whole auction went down...was there even an auction? hmm... His girlfriend was nonexistent, relegated to one word. I found that annoying.
Overall I found it a little superficial. And for that matter there was the whole 'look' thing. Griffin arranged this thing so he would get a companion. He was lonely, he had no one because of how he looked, everyone abandoned him. But it was barely made an issue in the book. Ryder made a few snide comments, but I think Griffin made a bigger deal out of it than it should have been. What I mean to say is there was a contrast between what was said about Griffin's look, and how it actually played into the events... does that make sense? The reader was told that Griffin is ugly and no one wanted him because of that, but I feel like it wasn't an issue. The topic barely came up.
Both MCs background is kind of a mystery, we only got to know the bare minimum. Ryder is a frat boy, got himself somehow abducted. Griffin is a musician, or was at least, and he was still working in the industry but we don't know much about that.
I liked that Griffin was a bad guy, who, even though had every step carefully planned out, was wavering. He questioned everything he was doing. In a dark book the main character is usually someone who knows what he's doing, you know being dominant and all that. So it was refreshing to see someone not fully in control. I guess that's in part thanks to Ryder's defiance, which was also a nice touch to their dynamic, I liked that he was mouthing back to Griffin every chance he got.
This is a gay for you story and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's different than other gfy books I read before, because it's usually about a guy who had some kind of experience with other boys when he was a kid, or at least had some inclinations towards men, but denied it. Here however Ryder claimed he was not gay. Not gay! So it was really about Griffin trying to change him. And hmm.. I dunno.
Overall I liked it.
I wouldn't exactly say I enjoyed this duet, due to the humiliation that this story was focusing on, but it definitely kept me interested. On one hand seeing how the MC would deal with wanting a specific arrangement, but getting something different held my attention, but I feel like it was rushed. I hoped the author would go even deeper with the emotions and would linger on certain issues Ryder and Griffin were facing. Also details were missing, that of course were not important to the story, but to me it would have made all the difference. For example there wasn't much revealed about Ryder's abduction: where he was at the time, how the whole auction went down...was there even an auction? hmm... His girlfriend was nonexistent, relegated to one word. I found that annoying.
Overall I found it a little superficial. And for that matter there was the whole 'look' thing. Griffin arranged this thing so he would get a companion. He was lonely, he had no one because of how he looked, everyone abandoned him. But it was barely made an issue in the book. Ryder made a few snide comments, but I think Griffin made a bigger deal out of it than it should have been. What I mean to say is there was a contrast between what was said about Griffin's look, and how it actually played into the events... does that make sense? The reader was told that Griffin is ugly and no one wanted him because of that, but I feel like it wasn't an issue. The topic barely came up.
Both MCs background is kind of a mystery, we only got to know the bare minimum. Ryder is a frat boy, got himself somehow abducted. Griffin is a musician, or was at least, and he was still working in the industry but we don't know much about that.
I liked that Griffin was a bad guy, who, even though had every step carefully planned out, was wavering. He questioned everything he was doing. In a dark book the main character is usually someone who knows what he's doing, you know being dominant and all that. So it was refreshing to see someone not fully in control. I guess that's in part thanks to Ryder's defiance, which was also a nice touch to their dynamic, I liked that he was mouthing back to Griffin every chance he got.
This is a gay for you story and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's different than other gfy books I read before, because it's usually about a guy who had some kind of experience with other boys when he was a kid, or at least had some inclinations towards men, but denied it. Here however Ryder claimed he was not gay. Not gay! So it was really about Griffin trying to change him. And hmm.. I dunno.
Overall I liked it.
July 5, 2023
Twisted and Dark
RTC
noncon between MCs - forced petplay -
RTC
noncon between MCs - forced petplay -
September 4, 2023
Wow...This has to be one of the best books I've read this year along with book 2.....Ryder/Toby is in for a really tough time with Griffin....The author kind of makes you love/hate Griff...How he treats Ryder is appalling but you also know why he's doing it and you feel sorry for him..But poor Ryder just wants to go home..He really doesn't seem to fit with being Griff's pup....An amazing read and one I know i'll be re-reading x
March 14, 2019
(4.25 stars)
Note: I have a hard time reviewing this duology as two separate books, since they are really two halves of a whole story, so I’m reviewing them together.
This was a SUPER interesting duology that I’m still thinking about two days later (and grappling with, in a way, but more on that later). The Beast’s Beauty and The Beauty’s Beast are the two parts of R. Phoenix’s “Beauty and the Beast” retelling, and as soon as I read the blurbs for both books, I was excited to read them because
I LOVE “Beauty and the Beast” retellings/reimaginings (when done well, i.e. Robin McKinley’s Rose Daughter and Beauty), and
I’ve recently been plowing through all the dark romances I can find (am I the only one who has romance subgenre cravings every now and then?).
This is a contemporary reimagining of “Beauty and the Beast,” where the Beast is Griffin (a former rock star who was horribly burned in a fire and who, as a result, lives an isolated and lonely life) and Beauty is Ryder (a college kid). Before the story begins, Griffin basically pays (what sounds like) human traffickers to kidnap a pretty boy for him, and that pretty boy ends up being Ryder.
Griffin wants a companion who will be completely loyal to him, and he essentially plans to make this happen by making Ryder into his puppy. He strategizes how to break Ryder down piece by piece until he truly becomes a pet (Toby) that loves Griffin unconditionally, rather than a human being that hates Griffin for the awful things Griffin does to him. The book takes place over the course of about two months (I think), and we see Griffin struggle to break and remake Ryder while Ryder struggles to hold onto himself and not become what Griffin desires. In order to take back some of the control and maintain some semblance of himself, Ryder eventually asks Griffin to reshape his vision of their relationship (such as it is) as not master/puppy but master/kitten. When Griffin agrees and the tenor of their relationship changes, Ryder starts to truly lose himself in Toby, and Griffin starts to question whether he should let Ryder go.
Both books are told from alternating viewpoints, so we have a chance to see inside the heads of both Ryder and Griffin. Let me say, this would have been a VERY DIFFERENT STORY if we had only be privy to Ryder’s perspective. Griffin is full of self-doubt and constantly questions whether he has done the right thing in kidnapping Ryder (hint: kidnapping is NEVER THE RIGHT THING JFC GRIFFIN). His internal narrative tends to run in circles much like this: “should I really be doing this?/ooooh, this is a bad thing I’m doing/but I WANT HIM/so I guess I’m doing it/even though I shouldn’t.” But he is conflicted about the choices he has made, and if we only had Ryder’s perspective, that conflict wouldn’t have been evident, and Griffin would have come across as more of a one-dimensional villain than he does otherwise.
The sex in this book is surprisingly light (if you discount the number of time Griffin thinks about how much he wants to fuck Ryder or imagines it in detail), and much of it is extremely dubcon, possibly noncon. Ryder identifies a straight, and… it seems pretty clear that he is straight based on his own internal monologue. When he responds to Griffin sexually, it’s because he’s desperate for some kind of human touch after being isolated for so long, not because he’s attracted to Griffin. (That’s one of things I really appreciated about this book -- a lot of times, it feels protagonists in books similar to this are frightened by but also UNWILLINGLY ATTRACTED TO their captors, and that definitely isn’t happening here. Ryder VERY MUCH does not want to have sex with Griffin when he is held captive.) It’s not until the end, after Griffin releases Ryder, and Ryder chooses to return, that he initiates and enjoys sexual contact with Griffin.
I would have liked Ryder’s and Griffin’s backstories to be a little more developed, particularly Ryder’s. More concrete information about his family, his girlfriend, his life (I don’t think we ever learn how old he is, let alone what he’s passionate about or studying in school…) would have made him feel more grounded in the world outside of Griffin’s house. I wondered if this was a deliberate choice on the author’s part, though. Griffin makes clear at the beginning that he didn’t choose Ryder specifically; he asked for generic pretty boy, and that’s basically we as readers get as well. What we know about Ryder is what we learn through how he reacts to his captivity and to Griffin.
Maybe this was the point. The lack of detail about his family particularly makes his choice at the end (to abandon his life and return to Griffin) easier to swallow. If we had a better sense of his relationships before he was kidnapped, it would have been a lot harder to accept his choice. But this was still a bit of a weak spot for me; because we have no sense of Ryder’s relationships with his family and friends (we only meet his mother, and their interaction shows that she clearly loves him and is worried about him), I overlay my own relationships with his and cannot imagine a world where I would just disappear from their lives for whatever reason, let alone to live in isolation with the guy who kidnapped me.
This is the heart of why I’d love to talk to someone else about these books -- I’m not sure whether the end is meant to be an HEA (the couple ends up together, yay!) or more ambiguous (Griffin did what he set out to do and broke/remade Ryder into what he wanted!). I lean toward the latter for many reasons: because the Ryder who longed for his family, his girlfriend, his regular life throughout his captivity would not choose to cut all of those ties and return to his captor; because pre-captivity Ryder was not into sex with another man, but he willingly begins a sexual relationship with Griffin upon his return; because Ryder returns as “Toby,” showing that he doesn’t even consider himself Ryder any longer.
It’s entirely possible that I’m reading too much into this and that the release-return at the end of the second book is purely meant to mirror the end of “Beauty and the Beast.” I’d like to think it’s meant to be a dark twist on the traditional HEA, though.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed both books, and I’m glad that I was able to read them back-to-back (instead of having to wait for the second to come out). I have lingering questions, mostly about the author’s choices and whether they were deliberate or I’m just reading way too much into the story.
Note: I have a hard time reviewing this duology as two separate books, since they are really two halves of a whole story, so I’m reviewing them together.
This was a SUPER interesting duology that I’m still thinking about two days later (and grappling with, in a way, but more on that later). The Beast’s Beauty and The Beauty’s Beast are the two parts of R. Phoenix’s “Beauty and the Beast” retelling, and as soon as I read the blurbs for both books, I was excited to read them because
I LOVE “Beauty and the Beast” retellings/reimaginings (when done well, i.e. Robin McKinley’s Rose Daughter and Beauty), and
I’ve recently been plowing through all the dark romances I can find (am I the only one who has romance subgenre cravings every now and then?).
This is a contemporary reimagining of “Beauty and the Beast,” where the Beast is Griffin (a former rock star who was horribly burned in a fire and who, as a result, lives an isolated and lonely life) and Beauty is Ryder (a college kid). Before the story begins, Griffin basically pays (what sounds like) human traffickers to kidnap a pretty boy for him, and that pretty boy ends up being Ryder.
Griffin wants a companion who will be completely loyal to him, and he essentially plans to make this happen by making Ryder into his puppy. He strategizes how to break Ryder down piece by piece until he truly becomes a pet (Toby) that loves Griffin unconditionally, rather than a human being that hates Griffin for the awful things Griffin does to him. The book takes place over the course of about two months (I think), and we see Griffin struggle to break and remake Ryder while Ryder struggles to hold onto himself and not become what Griffin desires. In order to take back some of the control and maintain some semblance of himself, Ryder eventually asks Griffin to reshape his vision of their relationship (such as it is) as not master/puppy but master/kitten. When Griffin agrees and the tenor of their relationship changes, Ryder starts to truly lose himself in Toby, and Griffin starts to question whether he should let Ryder go.
Both books are told from alternating viewpoints, so we have a chance to see inside the heads of both Ryder and Griffin. Let me say, this would have been a VERY DIFFERENT STORY if we had only be privy to Ryder’s perspective. Griffin is full of self-doubt and constantly questions whether he has done the right thing in kidnapping Ryder (hint: kidnapping is NEVER THE RIGHT THING JFC GRIFFIN). His internal narrative tends to run in circles much like this: “should I really be doing this?/ooooh, this is a bad thing I’m doing/but I WANT HIM/so I guess I’m doing it/even though I shouldn’t.” But he is conflicted about the choices he has made, and if we only had Ryder’s perspective, that conflict wouldn’t have been evident, and Griffin would have come across as more of a one-dimensional villain than he does otherwise.
The sex in this book is surprisingly light (if you discount the number of time Griffin thinks about how much he wants to fuck Ryder or imagines it in detail), and much of it is extremely dubcon, possibly noncon. Ryder identifies a straight, and… it seems pretty clear that he is straight based on his own internal monologue. When he responds to Griffin sexually, it’s because he’s desperate for some kind of human touch after being isolated for so long, not because he’s attracted to Griffin. (That’s one of things I really appreciated about this book -- a lot of times, it feels protagonists in books similar to this are frightened by but also UNWILLINGLY ATTRACTED TO their captors, and that definitely isn’t happening here. Ryder VERY MUCH does not want to have sex with Griffin when he is held captive.) It’s not until the end, after Griffin releases Ryder, and Ryder chooses to return, that he initiates and enjoys sexual contact with Griffin.
I would have liked Ryder’s and Griffin’s backstories to be a little more developed, particularly Ryder’s. More concrete information about his family, his girlfriend, his life (I don’t think we ever learn how old he is, let alone what he’s passionate about or studying in school…) would have made him feel more grounded in the world outside of Griffin’s house. I wondered if this was a deliberate choice on the author’s part, though. Griffin makes clear at the beginning that he didn’t choose Ryder specifically; he asked for generic pretty boy, and that’s basically we as readers get as well. What we know about Ryder is what we learn through how he reacts to his captivity and to Griffin.
Maybe this was the point. The lack of detail about his family particularly makes his choice at the end (to abandon his life and return to Griffin) easier to swallow. If we had a better sense of his relationships before he was kidnapped, it would have been a lot harder to accept his choice. But this was still a bit of a weak spot for me; because we have no sense of Ryder’s relationships with his family and friends (we only meet his mother, and their interaction shows that she clearly loves him and is worried about him), I overlay my own relationships with his and cannot imagine a world where I would just disappear from their lives for whatever reason, let alone to live in isolation with the guy who kidnapped me.
This is the heart of why I’d love to talk to someone else about these books -- I’m not sure whether the end is meant to be an HEA (the couple ends up together, yay!) or more ambiguous (Griffin did what he set out to do and broke/remade Ryder into what he wanted!). I lean toward the latter for many reasons: because the Ryder who longed for his family, his girlfriend, his regular life throughout his captivity would not choose to cut all of those ties and return to his captor; because pre-captivity Ryder was not into sex with another man, but he willingly begins a sexual relationship with Griffin upon his return; because Ryder returns as “Toby,” showing that he doesn’t even consider himself Ryder any longer.
It’s entirely possible that I’m reading too much into this and that the release-return at the end of the second book is purely meant to mirror the end of “Beauty and the Beast.” I’d like to think it’s meant to be a dark twist on the traditional HEA, though.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed both books, and I’m glad that I was able to read them back-to-back (instead of having to wait for the second to come out). I have lingering questions, mostly about the author’s choices and whether they were deliberate or I’m just reading way too much into the story.
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September 16, 2022This duology (reviewing them both here as they are essentially one book) was more palatable than the Gilded cages/Tarnished cage one. It seemed to flow better somehow and I liked getting the villains point of view too as it’s interesting from a psychological perspective. I can’t say I enjoyed reading either of these books though and I really don’t know how to rate them. Think I’ll take myself out of the dark hole KU has taken me down and go back to some light fluffy things.
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August 6, 2019DNF al 50%
El puppy play no es lo mío y si además es impuesto por la fuerza y no profundiza con los MC de manera que no empatizo con ellos se me vuelve una lectura tediosa
El puppy play no es lo mío y si además es impuesto por la fuerza y no profundiza con los MC de manera que no empatizo con ellos se me vuelve una lectura tediosa
Want to read
August 4, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/4/2021)! 🎁
August 14, 2021
Although I had high hopes for this it went downhill very quickly for me. I found parts upsetting, gross, and disturbing. The premise was good but the abuse, imprisonment, and downright cruelty was not to my taste. Maybe it got better, as some people spoke of Stockholm Syndrome, but I didn't want to try, just not my thing.
March 3, 2019
Beautifully done. Griffin is a character you truly want to hate, yet there was something there, that meant I just couldn't truly hate him. His wants, and desires make him so incredibly real. Ryder is beautiful, the way he bends and all his emotions are truly breathtaking. I genuinely cannot wait for more.
September 24, 2019
What can I say, I'm just as twisted
I'm not even going to try and defend why I loved this book. There's no point. It's dark af but then again what do you expect. It's R Phoenix. This is her specialty. And if you don't like dark, twisted stories, stay away. However, if you are open to twisted tales with complicated characters, then allow me to try and explain why this works.
So most kidnapped/ captive stories tend to go the way of either Stockholm syndrome or pure stupidity. This one does neither because it doesn't shy away from the cruelty and depravity that comes with kidnapping someone and forcing them into puppy play. Not once does this book try to romanticize the situation. Griffin knows he doesn't deserve sympathy, Ryder is painfully aware every single second of the horrors of his situation, and above all rape is called rape thank f*cking God. I can put up with a lot but romanticize rape is kind of my biggest pet peeve. Now all of that being said I can't help what I feel for both of these characters. Griffin is a severely damaged man who is still hurting. Ryder is classic spoiled rich kid but he's had his world turned upside down and he's exhausted. Them coming together at the very end of this (because oh boy is it a slow burn) was not stockholm syndrome or even reluctant acceptance, but more the two of them seeking comfort in a situation and isn't ideal. Yes it all happened because of Griffin and the book knows that, but there's so much more to be said about him then just psychopath.
These characters are complicated and I love being able to see that with the dule perspectives. It's really well done. Also for a book that's pretty dark, not once is straight up cruelty ever displayed. I think it there were, we wouldn't be able to sympathize with Griffin as much as we need to for this to work. All the darkness is in the situation. It's at the foreground. But expertly woven in is humanity and empathy and kindness. Especially on Griffin's and which again is needed.
There's no real smut in this but for once I'm not complaining. It's a slow burn and it needs to be a slow burn. Smut put just cheap in the whole thing I feel. It's really a beautiful piece. And I already have the next one downloaded. 5 solid stars.
I'm not even going to try and defend why I loved this book. There's no point. It's dark af but then again what do you expect. It's R Phoenix. This is her specialty. And if you don't like dark, twisted stories, stay away. However, if you are open to twisted tales with complicated characters, then allow me to try and explain why this works.
So most kidnapped/ captive stories tend to go the way of either Stockholm syndrome or pure stupidity. This one does neither because it doesn't shy away from the cruelty and depravity that comes with kidnapping someone and forcing them into puppy play. Not once does this book try to romanticize the situation. Griffin knows he doesn't deserve sympathy, Ryder is painfully aware every single second of the horrors of his situation, and above all rape is called rape thank f*cking God. I can put up with a lot but romanticize rape is kind of my biggest pet peeve. Now all of that being said I can't help what I feel for both of these characters. Griffin is a severely damaged man who is still hurting. Ryder is classic spoiled rich kid but he's had his world turned upside down and he's exhausted. Them coming together at the very end of this (because oh boy is it a slow burn) was not stockholm syndrome or even reluctant acceptance, but more the two of them seeking comfort in a situation and isn't ideal. Yes it all happened because of Griffin and the book knows that, but there's so much more to be said about him then just psychopath.
These characters are complicated and I love being able to see that with the dule perspectives. It's really well done. Also for a book that's pretty dark, not once is straight up cruelty ever displayed. I think it there were, we wouldn't be able to sympathize with Griffin as much as we need to for this to work. All the darkness is in the situation. It's at the foreground. But expertly woven in is humanity and empathy and kindness. Especially on Griffin's and which again is needed.
There's no real smut in this but for once I'm not complaining. It's a slow burn and it needs to be a slow burn. Smut put just cheap in the whole thing I feel. It's really a beautiful piece. And I already have the next one downloaded. 5 solid stars.
November 23, 2021
This was a mixed bag for me, partially from expectations and partially just from execution.
I liked how the Stockholm feels were handled in Ryder's POV - lot of back and forth, questioning himself, etc. I think this was the better half of the book, working through what he was experiencing. It's also definitely one of the best stockholm books I've found.
On the other hand, I didn't like having Griffins POV. I felt like it took away from the horror vibe, and away from the Stockholm-psychological process that Ryder was going through. I can see why/what the purpose of Griffins POV was (I assume), to show that he himself is getting changed by his own captive, but it just didn't work quite right for me. It felt like it could have been accomplished all through single POV, and I didn't get a whole lot from being in Griffins head. It felt like most of his chapters were daydreams rather than furthering their relationship.
Acknowledging that this is half a duology - I liked the pacing, the build, and where it ended.
Overall....I liked half of it. The half that was in Ryders POV. I won't be continuing this set of books, but I will be checking out other books by this author.
I liked how the Stockholm feels were handled in Ryder's POV - lot of back and forth, questioning himself, etc. I think this was the better half of the book, working through what he was experiencing. It's also definitely one of the best stockholm books I've found.
On the other hand, I didn't like having Griffins POV. I felt like it took away from the horror vibe, and away from the Stockholm-psychological process that Ryder was going through. I can see why/what the purpose of Griffins POV was (I assume), to show that he himself is getting changed by his own captive, but it just didn't work quite right for me. It felt like it could have been accomplished all through single POV, and I didn't get a whole lot from being in Griffins head. It felt like most of his chapters were daydreams rather than furthering their relationship.
Acknowledging that this is half a duology - I liked the pacing, the build, and where it ended.
Overall....I liked half of it. The half that was in Ryders POV. I won't be continuing this set of books, but I will be checking out other books by this author.
January 22, 2019
WOW!!!
This is a very unique story, based in a unusual set of circumstances. Griffin is scarred in more ways than physical. Seeing himself as a monster has damaged his perspective. The scars on his skin make him feel unwanted, undesirable, unlovable, unapproachable. He has lost all of the life he knew before. He lives in a world now of before the fire and after the fire. In a life that was completely destroyed in the blink of an eye. He lives in the destruction of the aftermath. His desperation for human interaction drives him into a decision, he may live to regret. Ryder is a young man trying to make it in the world. An innocent bystander, he is shifted into a life that he'll never understand. This story is unlike anything I've ever read before. Captivating, outrageous and unimaginable. I can't wait to see where these two are headed. Yes, Raissa I'm definitely interested in a BOOK #2, PLEASE!!!
This is a very unique story, based in a unusual set of circumstances. Griffin is scarred in more ways than physical. Seeing himself as a monster has damaged his perspective. The scars on his skin make him feel unwanted, undesirable, unlovable, unapproachable. He has lost all of the life he knew before. He lives in a world now of before the fire and after the fire. In a life that was completely destroyed in the blink of an eye. He lives in the destruction of the aftermath. His desperation for human interaction drives him into a decision, he may live to regret. Ryder is a young man trying to make it in the world. An innocent bystander, he is shifted into a life that he'll never understand. This story is unlike anything I've ever read before. Captivating, outrageous and unimaginable. I can't wait to see where these two are headed. Yes, Raissa I'm definitely interested in a BOOK #2, PLEASE!!!
January 19, 2019
3.5 stars
I wanted to like this more than I did, and maybe Toby and Griffin will get more interesting and engaging in future installments. I'm not sure if I can explain exactly what I didn't like, other than I didn't really connect with either character.
I felt that Toby's submission was too easy, and too smooth with the light hand that Griffin has used so far. And Griffin is too emotional to effectively pull this off.
I wanted to like this more than I did, and maybe Toby and Griffin will get more interesting and engaging in future installments. I'm not sure if I can explain exactly what I didn't like, other than I didn't really connect with either character.
I felt that Toby's submission was too easy, and too smooth with the light hand that Griffin has used so far. And Griffin is too emotional to effectively pull this off.
January 21, 2019
Surrender
This book is a psychological twister. I’ve never really read a book like this before but I know I want more!
Toby/Rider is kidnapped and his kidnapper is a damaged man. He wants to bend Rider to his will.
Will Rider ultimately surrender to him? I really want to know.
This book is a psychological twister. I’ve never really read a book like this before but I know I want more!
Toby/Rider is kidnapped and his kidnapper is a damaged man. He wants to bend Rider to his will.
Will Rider ultimately surrender to him? I really want to know.
May 6, 2019
What. The. F*ck...
May 30, 2025
я прочитала цю книжку випадково (майже) ✋😔 по-перше, мене збила з пантелику обкладинка — вона надто схожа на іншу, яку я справді мала намір прочитати. а по-друге, хоч я свідомо додавала й цю книжечку собі до тбр, виявилось, що я й гадки не мала власне про що вона. я знала, що тут викрадення і токсичність у тій чи іншій формі, але, бляха, ніде ні слова не було про те, шо це по суті нонкон puppy training на максималках? ай мін, я часто починаю книжки, не сильно вдивляючись в синопсис, але тут справді жоднісінької згадки про це не було...
в цілому, мені вся ця тєма з animal play не надто близька, але я не проти кількох елементів тут чи там, якщо вони органічно зображені в тому чи іншому сюжеті або ж у контексті певних динамік. у цієї книжки взагалі був досить прикольний преміс. гг мав непогану мотивацію, динаміка між гг мала шанс стати чимось змістовним та цікавим--- утім, на жаль, втілено воно все було на ділі доволі незграбно, а головне — незахопливо, тож досвід врешті вийшов такий собі. я могла, звісно, кинути цю книжку ще на перших сторінках, але вона не аж так погано була написана, і я до останнього сподівалась, що шось з цієї історії та й зліпиться доладне. а втім, дива не сталось :( маємо миршавенький сюжет, непереконливих гг, а також неіснуючу атмосферу з мінусовою напругою AND до повного щастя й відсутність бодай якихось прикольних сцен та хімії між гг.
p.s. хто всі ті люди, що казали, що це краща версія primal чи wrong way home? по1, агов, вайби зовсім різні? по2, ніхуя? навіть чисто теоретично? напруга й органічність взагалі не дотягнули. а також що це блін за дурня з (allegedly) гетеро тіпом? чому це досі настільки популярний троп?
в цілому, мені вся ця тєма з animal play не надто близька, але я не проти кількох елементів тут чи там, якщо вони органічно зображені в тому чи іншому сюжеті або ж у контексті певних динамік. у цієї книжки взагалі був досить прикольний преміс. гг мав непогану мотивацію, динаміка між гг мала шанс стати чимось змістовним та цікавим--- утім, на жаль, втілено воно все було на ділі доволі незграбно, а головне — незахопливо, тож досвід врешті вийшов такий собі. я могла, звісно, кинути цю книжку ще на перших сторінках, але вона не аж так погано була написана, і я до останнього сподівалась, що шось з цієї історії та й зліпиться доладне. а втім, дива не сталось :( маємо миршавенький сюжет, непереконливих гг, а також неіснуючу атмосферу з мінусовою напругою AND до повного щастя й відсутність бодай якихось прикольних сцен та хімії між гг.
p.s. хто всі ті люди, що казали, що це краща версія primal чи wrong way home? по1, агов, вайби зовсім різні? по2, ніхуя? навіть чисто теоретично? напруга й органічність взагалі не дотягнули. а також що це блін за дурня з (allegedly) гетеро тіпом? чому це досі настільки популярний троп?
January 20, 2019
Uh - No! You seriously can not leave me hanging like that!
And why? Not telling you have to read it!
Toby, IMO is a bit weak emotionally - I think this may be one of the reasons he was targeted - After approaching his current situation with various responses he is now weighing his options a bit more realistically? Trying to make decisions the will result in an outcome with the least humiliation while still allowing him to keep some sense of Ryder- But as he states it is a bit like SAW - damned if you do and damned if you don't. One of his last attempts at freedom gave him a glimpse at the true monster Griffin keeps buried inside - That small glimpse even worried me -somehow I think his hesitation and fear of what could be are well founded
I found this a very emotional read - Griffin is broken in a way that I can not see him finding his way back - to have all that adoration and power that came with being a star ripped from him and worse it was as a secondary result of him selfishly sacrificing himself to save another - I believe that would definitely put a crack in even the strongest of human psyches - does not mean I in anyway agree with how he chose to acquire an emotional support pet
I really want to know who knocked!! And I want book two now because I have to know where this goes
I would recommend for any lover of true angsty MM romance very heavy on pet play and Stockholm syndrome
And why? Not telling you have to read it!
Toby, IMO is a bit weak emotionally - I think this may be one of the reasons he was targeted - After approaching his current situation with various responses he is now weighing his options a bit more realistically? Trying to make decisions the will result in an outcome with the least humiliation while still allowing him to keep some sense of Ryder- But as he states it is a bit like SAW - damned if you do and damned if you don't. One of his last attempts at freedom gave him a glimpse at the true monster Griffin keeps buried inside - That small glimpse even worried me -somehow I think his hesitation and fear of what could be are well founded
I found this a very emotional read - Griffin is broken in a way that I can not see him finding his way back - to have all that adoration and power that came with being a star ripped from him and worse it was as a secondary result of him selfishly sacrificing himself to save another - I believe that would definitely put a crack in even the strongest of human psyches - does not mean I in anyway agree with how he chose to acquire an emotional support pet
I really want to know who knocked!! And I want book two now because I have to know where this goes
I would recommend for any lover of true angsty MM romance very heavy on pet play and Stockholm syndrome
November 26, 2019
Loved both of these books. Spent a little over four hours just reading. It strikes a great balance between erotica and romance.
Griffin is a monster, but he learns to become human with Ryder's/Toby's help. The first book is pure kink material, (Personally I'm not big into the pet play, but it almost worked for me in this instance) while the second book really starts to get into the emotional aspect of their relationship.
I spent a lot of time unbearably hot, and unbearably sad at the terrible situation these characters find themselves in. If you are a fan of themes of restricted freedom, obsessive/possessive love, damaged love interest, puppy/kitty play, humiliation, and sap; then definitely give these books a shot.
Also, a lot of m/m books I review are available with Amazon Unlimited, (these two included) so if you haven't gotten it, and you find yourself reading a lot of m/m fiction, it's definitely worth the buy. I'll probably make a tag for books available on Amazon Unlimited if you want to check it out.
Griffin is a monster, but he learns to become human with Ryder's/Toby's help. The first book is pure kink material, (Personally I'm not big into the pet play, but it almost worked for me in this instance) while the second book really starts to get into the emotional aspect of their relationship.
I spent a lot of time unbearably hot, and unbearably sad at the terrible situation these characters find themselves in. If you are a fan of themes of restricted freedom, obsessive/possessive love, damaged love interest, puppy/kitty play, humiliation, and sap; then definitely give these books a shot.
Also, a lot of m/m books I review are available with Amazon Unlimited, (these two included) so if you haven't gotten it, and you find yourself reading a lot of m/m fiction, it's definitely worth the buy. I'll probably make a tag for books available on Amazon Unlimited if you want to check it out.
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