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Escape Club

Not Your Boy

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Not Your Boy

Robbie has his life back, but is he happy? Daniel wants to be in control, but at what cost?
Seven years ago, Robbie is left traumatized and broken after being released from his violent master, and vows off men forever. Now, at twenty-six, he has an apartment and a job, everything to have a fulfilled life.
Daniel, owner of the men-only club Escape, is tired of watching his friends find their true loves but has yet to find the one for him.
An unexpected meeting brings the two men together again, but all Robbie wants is to be left alone and not face his past.
Daniel sees something in Robbie he needs and refuses to give up. He knows that Robbie is worth fighting for.
Will Robbie let Daniel in and learn to trust and feel again, or is he too damaged? Can Robbie give the reins to Daniel to give them the happiness they both seek?

Not Your Boy is a spin-off series from the HeavyLoad! series and has characters from the series throughout.
Not Your Boy is an MM romance and contains steamy scenes between men. Past acts of sexual assault and violence are mentioned.

185 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 2020

66 people are currently reading
126 people want to read

About the author

J.J. Harper

51 books580 followers
Hiding behind a quiet unassuming facade J J reads and writes hot sexy stories. Stories of men loving men as well as women loving men.
What would the neighbors think!!

As long as the men are hot alpha's and the women are strong in their own right then they have a place in J J's books.

JJ also has a kinkier side and writes under the name of AG Silver. So, make sure you look out for those books too.

Catch her on:
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https://www.facebook.com/findingme.se...
Twitter
https://twitter.com/jessjhoney



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Community Reviews

5 stars
143 (36%)
4 stars
109 (27%)
3 stars
78 (19%)
2 stars
38 (9%)
1 star
26 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Lea Setegn.
110 reviews9 followers
March 24, 2020
My low rating is due to massive issues with Daniel, the Dom, and lack of consent.

First, he just about stalks the sub, Robbie, who was horribly abused both mentally and physically by his first Dom. Daniel continues to push Robbie to date him even after Robbie makes it clear that he wants to be left alone. Then, when Robbie changes his mind and starts a relationship with him, Daniel grossly disrespects Robbie over some missing money at club Escape. Robbie is rightfully angry, but then turns on a dime and lets Daniel push him into having anal sex for the first time the very same day????

The final nail in the coffin for me was Daniel’s refusal to listen to Robbie when Robbie didn’t want to go to Escape as a sub, just as boyfriends, for their first time together. Robbie’s decision was due to the massive trauma in his past. Daniel throws a shit fit about how he’s a Dom and Robbie has to be his sub, and Robbie leaves. This is, of course, the big obstacle that has to be overcome so they can get to the HEA. But OMG, all Daniel is shown for the whole book is that he wants what he wants the way he wants it, come hell or high water!

UGH. I loved the HeavyLoad books but this one was a HUGE miss.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dash.
42 reviews
May 15, 2020
DNF around 51% - I have read a lot of kink and a lot of Daddy/Boy stories, but this one just kept making me angry. Robbie has a very abusive past, and Daniel knows it, because he's the one who saved him from it. But all their interactions are centered around how Daniel wants Robbie and by the 3rd time Daniel told Robbie to just GET OVER IT (hang ups/trust issues from abuse that should be worked through with a healthy relationship) or their relationship wouldn't work. I was done! You can't just expect someone who wants TPE to blindly trust their Dom because they told them to just get over their skittishness. I tried, but that type of 'earning trust' is manipulative.
Profile Image for Anna.
563 reviews
June 9, 2020
DNF 81 % to był najbardziej toksyczny związek jaki czytałam.

Tak nie zachowuje się osoba która kocha.
Profile Image for Mimi.
2,450 reviews
March 30, 2020
4.25 stars

Enjoyed this spin-off from "Heavyloaded". Is was great to see the guys from that series and find out what Robbie did with the card Stefan gave him.

Robbie's story is a very sad one and I'm glad he was able to come out the other side with the man and family he deserved.
Profile Image for MT.
398 reviews
March 31, 2020
I can see why people would like this book. If a person has not read good BDSM books with healthy relationships, it could be easy to like this one a lot. I enjoy books sometimes that have problematic issues, but this book goes further than that in my opinion. One MC has some significant emotional trauma and the other MC seems to be set on finding a way to “help” him to “rediscover” his submissive side. It switches between helping and pushing so that the Dom can get his own HEA. There are major communication issues. I almost stopped several times but hoped it would get better. It did not. It did not make me feel good or leave me with a happy feeling even though it was a HEA.
Profile Image for JD Crittendon.
1,170 reviews11 followers
March 29, 2020
Overcoming The Past for Love!

A love relationship develops between traumatized Robbie & kink club owner Daniel. Overall, a good read, just not on par with other books (Heavyload Series) I’ve read from this author. And what’s up with that final paragraph! Rating: 3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for m.
819 reviews70 followers
July 27, 2023
I should’ve read some reviews first. What a fucking mess. Daniel was selfish and manipulative all under the guise of being helpful and “pushing” Robbie to overcome the trauma he suffered under his previous Dom.

I liked parts of this but lost my mind when Daniel got upset because Robbie didn’t want to go to his BDSM club wearing a cage and a plug and even after Robbie said he was uncomfortable with it Daniel threw in his face that if he didn’t trust him 100% then Robbie obviously didn’t love him. Daniel is supposed to be like 40yo and threw the biggest tantrum.

And then it ends with Robbie basically just doing what Daniel wanted and Daniel did pretty much nothing to win him back. So disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Heather.
107 reviews20 followers
May 1, 2020
Yeah, uh no, nothing about this book was okay. First of all you do not pressure a SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM to enter into a relationship with you by telling him he's "too old to not be having sex." Robbie choosing to remain celibate was a choice he made and he should not have been shamed and pushed to the point where he gave into Daniel. And if that wasn't bad enough he fucking throws a tantrum because Robbie does not want to go to the BDSM club where his abuser tried to AUCTION HIM OFF! I don't think this author knows anything about TPE or a healthy BDSM lifestyle. This book is disgusting and appalling. Avoid it at all costs if you don't want to be severely pissed off.
Profile Image for Nicole Prado-Carr.
184 reviews5 followers
May 19, 2020
I feel like this book had a lot of potential but when it came down to it the writing just wasn’t very good. It was very choppy and jumped around POVs multiple times in one chapter when each chapter is supposed to be one POV. I had to stop reading at about 54% because I just couldn’t keep reading anymore it was just so hard to get through. The MC would say one moment how he didn’t want to have sex and literally a few paragraphs later he wants to. And it’s not just a simple change of mind, it’s whole process that’s skipped completely. It’s just so choppy I can’t even explain properly. Just disappointed.
31 reviews
April 3, 2020
There’s a lot of overriding the sub’s feelings here. Daniel is just as abusive as Sanchez, just not in a physical and obviously sadistic fashion. Hard no one this.
Profile Image for Rachel Hendry.
360 reviews1 follower
March 24, 2020
Not your boy is a spin off stand alone of the Heavyload! Series by J J Harper.
These boy have been a total revelation and have immersed me into the realms of daddy kink and they are definitely perfect to start your journey with.
I had been eagerly anticipating Daniel & Robbie’s story because I felt it was going to be slightly different, intense and emotional oh and it delivered...in abundance.
Robbie was still damaged from a previous abusive relationship and because of this tended to suppress his desires for fear of any repeat of before, Daniel sees him and feels a connection and refuses to give up on him, this kick starts Robbie’s journey of rediscovery and healing.
I loved the characters that JJ has developed here, both very different people with different wants and desires...one needed lots of love and support to bring out his best and one just wanted to be needed, to be depended upon.
J J writes with great understanding of not only her guys but of their needs and wants, she allows slow development making the story all the more believable and organic. The story flow feels smooth and seamless and the plot always engaging- so much so that before you know it you’re hurtling towards the end knowing that you aren’t quite ready for it to finish just yet.
I think if you’re like me and this isn’t your usual trope this would be perfect book to dip your toe into because whilst raw, real and emotional it’s also loving, healing and uplifting- and who the heck doesn’t need a bit of that right now?
So thank you J J for another great pleasure in life and just know that you’ve cemented your place right up there with the great MM authors of all time.
Profile Image for Szidi ☼.
946 reviews61 followers
April 17, 2020
I wanted to read this book so much, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but wasn't perfect either. Just a 4*.

It had so many potential and I thought at the end it would be the perfect book, but somewhere it lost everything - me too.

Robbie was an interesting character and it was good to read about his life. And Daniel was good too, but I missed more about him. We couldn't get into deep into him, he was just there.
The conversations between them were both good and boring sometimes. At first it was cute that Daniel was this headstrong about Robbie and couldn't take no for an answer - just in the best was possible.

At some point everything was perfect and I was happy too, but then came the drama. Daniel and Robbie lost their mind and you can guess what happened?! Broken hearts and tears for pages. And for what?...

The club scenes were good and I loved that everyone was there from the HeavyLoad gang.

I missed something from this book. And that drama wasn't neccesarry at all.
Profile Image for Sue Milkovich.
1,725 reviews16 followers
April 14, 2020
This is a slow burning story in the beginning. Daniel is a Dom, Robbie is a reluctant Sub. These two have a past. A very painful past for Robbie. Daniel is a businessman who always gets what he wants. He has his sites set on Robbie. Robbie has a lot of healing to do. In the years since the first time they met he has built a life for himself from nothing. Daniel is determined to give him everything. This is a hard won journey for both men. This is a book about trust and following their deep down instincts. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!
Profile Image for Denise GremoryKohta.
4,239 reviews6 followers
March 12, 2022
Amazing!!!

I loved this so much. Robbie is so strong. Daniel was great except for a few slips. I like that we didn’t have to wait for some things. My favorite part though was the beautiful way the author ended it.
Profile Image for Amos24601.
1,287 reviews44 followers
July 31, 2020
Perplexed

I am very perplexed by the bad reviews/DNFs for this book. The biggest complaint seems to be that Daniel is domineering. Maybe that’s because he’s…oh, I don’t know, A DOM? JJ Harper has written several books with a BDSM theme to them so writing a domineering character should be no surprise. That complaint makes me scratch my head.

Reading Robbie’s story was so heartbreaking. I can’t believe he was with Sanchez for as long as he was. (Though I’m very happy that Sanchez got what was coming to him.) Daniel sees a Sub in danger and reacts. He gets Robbie to safety and sends him somewhere that he will recover and get the help he needs. He doesn’t see Robbie again for 7 years. I think that is an important distinction here. SEVEN years! Robbie has gone to college and gotten a degree in psychology. He works at an LGTBQ rescue house. It’s not like Daniel swoops in and manipulates Robbie into being a sub again when he is still fragile and trying to piece his life back together. Robbie, while still tormented by his past, also understands the psychology about what happened to him. Daniel helps him to see that he wasn’t truly living, merely surviving. Daniel is definitely persistent in his pursuit of Robbie, I’ll say that. But were this a regular M/F story, people would say is was romantic that the MC was really invested.

One of the other complaints about this book was that Daniel pressured Robbie into sex. I totally disagree with this sentiment. We get to read several paragraphs from Robbie’s perspective prior to them even entering the bedroom about how Robbie is ready for the next step. How Robbie feels it is Daniel holding them back from it. Daniel also check in with him during the act and offers to stop and take sex off the table indefinitely for their relationship. It also bears mentioning that Daniel and Robbie actually having sex takes place weeks after they start a relationship. This wasn’t an overnight, hop in the sack to get it over with type of thing. Daniel was absolutely patient with Robbie and even Robbie was fine with Daniel testing his limits.

With that all being said, were there areas that I thought Daniel was an a-hole. Most definitely. The night of the club outing, when Daniel wants to f**k, plug and cage Robbie, Daniel should have discussed all of it prior to the sex actually happening. Things would have also gone a lot differently if Robbie had just safeworded, but I understand that we needed to move the plot along. Both of them show an uncharacteristic stubbornness after this happens and they are apart for months. There is give and take on both sides before we get our HEA.

Overall, this book was full of a lot of tugs on the heartstrings because you just want to hug Robbie every time he is hurting. Daniel made a good match for him because he understood what it was that Robbie needed. I didn’t love the epilogue, as I felt it wasn’t in line with what Daniel and Robbie would have done for their life together. *ahem* Papa. We got to visit the boys from the Heavy Load series and I was particularly happy to visit with Jem. He was my beautiful spanking loving, lingerie and makeup wearing character of the Heavy Load series.

Take the time to read the book and form an opinion based on your thoughts a feelings, not just what other have to say, positive or negative.
38 reviews
March 26, 2022
Gaslighting and abusive Dom is the hero???

I wanted to like this book I really did! There are so many things wrong with the Dom in this book I read the whole book hoping it would get better, although I skimmed most of the end because I was to angry to read in detail, but hoped desperately the book would redeem itself. It did not the awful start the Dom got off to just got worse and worse. My review will read more like a rant but this book pushed all my buttons.
A lot of Spoilers ahead............
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First of all Robbie has a degree in Psychology after escaping a horrific situation that should have him still in counseling based on all his issues not trying to counsel youth when he obviously is making unhealthy choices all through the book, but I could let that slide since that actually does happen in real life.
My biggest issue is Daniel and boy do I have issues with him! Okay first of all when he "rescues" Daniel by literally taking a broken bleeding teenager and throwing them out without shoes or socks just giving him 20 bucks and a name of a place to go. There are so many things wrong with that and none of it makes him a hero.
Moving on to the stalking and not telling Robbie what he does and doesn't want, triggering him knowing how horrible his past was and doing it all carelessly.
Moving on to him forcing him to do things that he finds horrific due to his past "because he wants it he's just scared" then gaslighting him and verbally abusing him by telling him if you question me or react to your triggers nor past you don't trust me and we can't be together multiple times!!! Like deuche bag abuser alert!!
Okay on top of all the ongoing manipulation, invalidating the horrors Robbie lived through and all that the final conflict where Daniel through a giant temper tantrum about Robbie trying to negotiate a scene that Daniel changed the parameters of without discussion or consent (going from hey you can go to the club with me hang with friends, to go plugged with a cage on display and if you don't we're done) was enough to make me want to throw the book if I wasn't reading on my phone. Then he never genuinely apologizes just ships Robbie's stuff back to him via currier gives him a half assed apology several weeks later and then Robbie comes crawling back to him. In the Epilogue they apparently adopted a child into their lovely abusive relationship.
Robbie went from a horrific physically abusive relationship to nothing for years and then a verbally abusive not even remotely healthy TPE that he kept saying he didn't even want.
There are many crappy Dom's in real life I sure as heck don't want to read about one under the guise of it being a happily ever after ideal. Oh and the whole thing in the beginning was his safe words were ignored but then Daniel never once even gave him a chance to safeword it was do it or were over, again and again. Even with TPE you should always both have a safe word and limits should ALWAYS be discussed and respected. Yes they can change over time that's why you revisit those discussions.
I could go on more but at this point I think you get the point only read this book if you enjoy abusive a**holes getting the guy.
1,055 reviews5 followers
October 15, 2021
DNF at 23%

I wanted to enjoy this book way more then I did. Robbie went through a horrible experience and I felt like Daniel was turning it into something much lighter. I know he wants to "help" Robbie move on but he's being quite selfish about it.
Robbie keeps telling him no and to leave him alone and he admits to himself he keeps going back when as a Dom he knows better. The final straw for me is when Robbie burst into his room and yells, yes that was rude, but when he asked Daniel to do a small thing like put pants on he can't even do that to make him more comfortable with an obvious hard conversation they are about to have. Not the type of Dom I'm interested in reading about.
Profile Image for Kirstin.
2,091 reviews19 followers
September 5, 2020
For some reason, I assumed the conflict in this story would be about Robbie being attacked or something like that, and needing Daniel to help him through it, like he always does. Instead, it felt more like Daniel was constantly punishing Robbie for being afraid to submit fully. That dynamic felt more abusive to me than loving or caring. Didn’t really enjoy the cringeyness of that.
Profile Image for Jamie Lee Zonneveld.
1,681 reviews51 followers
March 27, 2020
Not Your Boy by J.J. Harper is a spin-off from the Heavyload! series. This book is about Daniel, the owner of Escape and Robbie. If you've read the Heavyload! series you've met both (Robbie only short in His Kind of Man). I really loved this book and can't wait for more!
Profile Image for Claudia.
1,147 reviews
April 5, 2020
It started really good...
But then Daniel started acting like a real jerk who didn't take Robbie past hurt in consideration... he did some really ass things to Robbie... and that killed the story /book to me. I skipped till the end afterwards
Profile Image for Harley Andrade.
223 reviews41 followers
January 23, 2024
4 almost 5 star until the last 1/4 of the book! I was robbed!!!!

You know this book was going so good! They were communicating and both trying to be patient with each other and the trauma was on point. Then the third act break up! Ugh I’ll preface this by saying I super hate third act break ups but sometimes authors can still make it work enough to make me feel okay but this is not one of those times!

**I’m gonna spoil a little here so stop reading if you don’t wanna know. **
They split because the dom is domming too hard and doesn’t stop for a minute to understand why the sub was freaking. But you know I probably could have gotten over that if they had eventually talked it over or even acknowledged what the issue was. Nope instead we got an abbreviated version of 2 months where they self harm and pine for each other before the sub just shows up one day and does exactly what he was freaking out about then boom epilogue. At no point do they even try to have a discussion about what the issue was on either side or anything. Like whyyyyyy! This is super not healthy! It also just feels extremely unresolved and just shoved under the rug.

This book was a solid 4 edging on 5 stars for me until that third act breakup and ending. If I didn’t like the first 3/4ths of this book so much I can honestly say I probably would have given it a 1 star. Ugh I hope more books of JJ Harper aren’t like this.
998 reviews36 followers
April 5, 2020
After all these years Robbie’s past comes back to haunt him. Robbie is given a jolt as he is pulled back into the world he escaped from. The night that he gains his freedom from his sadistic master Robbie gives up on the lifestyle he longs for and even the thought of any kind of relationship let alone love of any kind. Yet the one man who saved him that night is the man he finds now and how he wishes for more, but his past will not stay in the past. So, Robbie has given up he can never even approach another man and never a Dom especially one like Daniel.

I truly enjoyed Daniel and Robbie’s story. Robbie has had a traumatic past and Daniel is more than willing to help him find his way again. No matter what happens Daniel will be there to support Robbie if he will let him. Their story is wonderful read. I loved watching their relationship grow into something more. I also liked that the two were not perfect and things happen and they both make mistakes. There are bumps in the road and the two must find a way to deal and relate to each other. They find that it is a two-way street and that you must give and take to find true happiness.
Profile Image for M..
476 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2020
I really did enjoy this book until they had another pissy moment towards the end of the book where neither of them communicated. Was that really necessary?? Why couldn’t they have just given each other space and then talked it out? Maybe it’s the headspace I’m in, I don’t really enjoy heavy angst either.

Robbie endures a horrific abuse (not explicitly depicted but later in the book more detail is revealed) and Daniel is the Dom who helped Robbie escape. With time Robbie begins to heal. Albeit, he’s still allowing his demons to dictate a large portion of his life.

7 years later Robbie and Daniel cross paths again. But Robbie hasn’t let any man touch him since his escape. Daniel makes it his mission to help Robbie find his sexuality again. It was beautiful to read the progress Robbie is making with the help of Daniel. Unfortunately, one night resulted in their falling out. *annoyed*

I almost wondered if they’d get back together. They do but you’ll have to wait until the very last moment. Thankfully we get an epilogue.

Overall, I still recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Laina Gruver.
1,255 reviews59 followers
January 14, 2021
3.5-3.75 stars

So far this is my least favorite of JJ’s books. Daniel and Robbie while eventually they became a sweet couple, it took most of the book to get them there. Neither one was 100% honest with the other about what they needed and wanted (or didn’t want). Robbie could not seem to get past his HORRIFIC experience with his previous Master, which is understandable but, he jumps to conclusions after Daniel & Robbie have been together for a while and all the while claiming to trust Daniel. And Daniel is far from perfect himself. He should have been more understanding and patient with Robbie.

The MCs from the Heavy Load series make cameos. I love that they befriended Robbie. I did love the epilogue, but there was just a bit too much drama/angst for me.

*****
POV... multi first person

Standalone or series... standalone (but, characters from HL series make appearances)

Hangover... no

Recommend... maybe

Reread... unlikely

*****
KU read
Daniel Halstead / Daddy
Robbie / boy
Profile Image for Any Length.
2,169 reviews7 followers
June 25, 2025
I found this book to be utterly confusing.
We have on one hand a so-called Dom who is way too soft and constantly says "please and thank you and we don't have to do anything you don't want to" and then tries to be a hard Dom and go all "you do as I say" and screws things up.
On the other hand we have a soft, damaged, traumatized submissive - who often feels like a power bottom and has an annoying tendency to just walk out and walk away instead of talking things out. The book is about their move toward what amounts to a "soft-Dom-come Daddy" plus " boy-submissive" relationship.
Half the time I wanted to shout at the characters to behave the way they claim they are.
I did not enjoy the confusing characters that were not consistent with what they were said to be.
Also felt that the "baby" at the end was just an after-thought to appeal to the "market" and did not contribute to the book. I honestly cannot recommend this book.
Profile Image for Mildred.
230 reviews8 followers
March 25, 2020
Robbie lived a horrendous life alongside a cruel and abusive Dom. One night while in a club, he was rescued when his Dom refused to accept he had safeworded! Daniel intervened and saved him rushing him out of the club and giving him the address of someone who would change his life . Years later, he watches a Dom with his boy at the restaurant he works at and looks on wistfully. Stefan notices the look and hands him a card telling him you may find what you're looking for here. Escape, the BDSM club is owned by Daniel, the man who rescued him. These two are drawn to each other but Robbie is so scarred from his previous experience that being with a Dom is out of the question. Daniel has to be extremely patient but in the end love and trust prevail and these two find their perfect partner in each other. I absolutely loved this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kaye.
741 reviews3 followers
March 25, 2020
*Spoiler alert*

The HeavyLoad! series was superb and this spinoff is just as good. The next one needs to be written and released ASAP!

Robbie is beautiful and adorable and it was wonderful to see him overcome the evil done to him by a sadistic man. He deserves to be cherished and Daniel was good for him but I was very disappointed by his childish behaviour and response to Robbie's fear of going to his club with him. He was very immature and cruel to pack Robbie's things and return them.

It was a real shame not to see the wedding and their having a child!
923 reviews3 followers
March 26, 2020
What a great read! I enjoyed the storyline, the characters and the heat. This book made me experience various feelings from sad to happiness and lots more in between as well as super hot. When I read about the littles I had a moment of hesitation but when I continued reading that kink is not explained or talked about in detail which I was grateful since it's not my thing to read about. However, I did thoroughly enjoy reading about Robbie and Daniel's sexual exploits along with their developing relationship. So great!
Profile Image for FHR.
1,076 reviews13 followers
March 28, 2020
When Robbie needed saving, Daniel stepped in.
Years later when their paths cross, Daniel is persistent in pursuing Robbie.
But Robbie still has healing to do from a traumatic past and Daniel needs to be patient with him.
This was a slow paced, slow burn read about two men who slowly build a relationship then rediscovered what’s important with their love for Bdsm.
There are moments of angst, anger, emotion, miscommunication, friendship and healing.
It was great to see couples of previous books make an appearance in this story.
A lovely read for fans of this authors work.
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