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Mean Machine
For a boxer ravaged by guilt and in deep denial of his desires, a fight beyond the ring might yield his greatest prize. In a dystopian UK devastated by austerity and ruled by corporate interests, Brooklyn Marshall was a happily married London police officer—until an accident resulted in the death of a protester connected to a powerful family. Now he takes out his anger and pain on his opponents, fighting for the company that took him into stewardship after his conviction and disgrace—and which all but owns him. Wealthy barrister Nathaniel Bishop fulfills his dream of a family when he adopts a daughter. He can’t resist researching her allegedly violent criminal father, but Brook isn’t at all what he expects. He’s fascinating… and maybe worthy of redemption. Through legal sleight of hand, Nathaniel thinks he can overturn Brook’s conviction. Brook has learned the hard way not to trust anyone, let alone a privileged man who’s purchased his “time.” But as they get to know each other, he allows himself to hope. With his fights getting deadlier, hope might be the only thing to carry Brook through.
420 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2020
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September 18, 2020
Phenomena…
(def) Something that is remarkable or extraordinary.
Natural phenomena include things such as tides and gravity. Have you seen the lightning striking sand one? A cool trick that “Sweet Home Alabama” demonstrated rather memorably even if it was slightly inaccurate. Even so, it reminds me of the literary phenomenon known as Voinov. Gritty characters are struck by a brilliant force (a rather stylish pen) leaving obscure polished treasures in its wake. When it comes to AV, I always expect the unexpected. Aleks has proven me wrong time and time again. Case in point, historical settings were not my favorite. Until Scorpions. I could say the same about war books. Until I discovered Special Forces. And now, I’ll have to add boxing to the list. Who knew?!
This particular tale revolves around a fight. I’m not talking about in the ring. Admittedly we do witness many ringside bloody battles and I held my breath for each one. There is so much that I never knew! But the ultimate fight doesn’t involve gloves. Brook is fighting for his life, his freedom, and most importantly, his redemption. Along the way, a curious stranger becomes a lifeline. then a lover, and eventually, a soulmate. This journey isn’t quick or painless. And takes surprising twists and shocking turns.
Speaking of shocks, I found myself facing one of my ‘hard limits’ and suddenly…it wasn’t hard anymore. It was Voinov himself that presented my first, “umm, no thank you. I’ll get off here” bedmate selection and I had no idea another taboo couple would grace these pages. Perhaps I found a disconnection from reality this time or maybe it was their secondary status. Not sure which but this unmentionable ménage pairing didn’t send me running for the hills. And the timing was crucial for me. Cheating is a hard no when it comes to my reading preferences. So yeah, I get what you did there Aleks, and I respect how it was done. Bravo.
There is SO much I would love to ramble about but I will try and restrain myself. Brook radiates power and I was drawn to him from the first bell. Nathaniel slid in and swept the big man off his feet and I was feeling quite swoony myself. And I love what brought them together. I was hypnotized from the anxiety-riddled beginning to the hardcore center and all the way up to the tender finale. This is far from typical but then again, that’s what I love about Voinov’s creations.
Aleks doesn’t always play by the rules. He colors outside the box or even makes his own box. And as much as I adore this quality I also found myself grumbling and cursing from time to time. One particular scene ruffled my feathers and I wanted to stomp my feet. But then, I saw the importance and reasoning, and grudgingly found its purpose necessary. For this wasn’t about ‘them’ it was about ‘him’. And he hadn’t found his way…yet. He was still racing towards the summit, longing to reach that elusive peak.
Never fear, he follows his heart and bootless feet to claim his rightful place at…home.
Beware of: Passion for boxing is not required but quite possibly acquired. A defender becomes a gladiator…and falls along the way. Including one glorious drop for a sexy suit but he must free his soul before planting any roots. Oh, and there’s a little triple play but not unfaithfully.
This book is for: If you’re searching for something that packs a punch, this heavyweight is a sure-fire winner.
*4.5 stars*
Book UNfunk
(def) Something that is remarkable or extraordinary.
Natural phenomena include things such as tides and gravity. Have you seen the lightning striking sand one? A cool trick that “Sweet Home Alabama” demonstrated rather memorably even if it was slightly inaccurate. Even so, it reminds me of the literary phenomenon known as Voinov. Gritty characters are struck by a brilliant force (a rather stylish pen) leaving obscure polished treasures in its wake. When it comes to AV, I always expect the unexpected. Aleks has proven me wrong time and time again. Case in point, historical settings were not my favorite. Until Scorpions. I could say the same about war books. Until I discovered Special Forces. And now, I’ll have to add boxing to the list. Who knew?!
This particular tale revolves around a fight. I’m not talking about in the ring. Admittedly we do witness many ringside bloody battles and I held my breath for each one. There is so much that I never knew! But the ultimate fight doesn’t involve gloves. Brook is fighting for his life, his freedom, and most importantly, his redemption. Along the way, a curious stranger becomes a lifeline. then a lover, and eventually, a soulmate. This journey isn’t quick or painless. And takes surprising twists and shocking turns.
Speaking of shocks, I found myself facing one of my ‘hard limits’ and suddenly…it wasn’t hard anymore. It was Voinov himself that presented my first, “umm, no thank you. I’ll get off here” bedmate selection and I had no idea another taboo couple would grace these pages. Perhaps I found a disconnection from reality this time or maybe it was their secondary status. Not sure which but this unmentionable ménage pairing didn’t send me running for the hills. And the timing was crucial for me. Cheating is a hard no when it comes to my reading preferences. So yeah, I get what you did there Aleks, and I respect how it was done. Bravo.
There is SO much I would love to ramble about but I will try and restrain myself. Brook radiates power and I was drawn to him from the first bell. Nathaniel slid in and swept the big man off his feet and I was feeling quite swoony myself. And I love what brought them together. I was hypnotized from the anxiety-riddled beginning to the hardcore center and all the way up to the tender finale. This is far from typical but then again, that’s what I love about Voinov’s creations.
Aleks doesn’t always play by the rules. He colors outside the box or even makes his own box. And as much as I adore this quality I also found myself grumbling and cursing from time to time. One particular scene ruffled my feathers and I wanted to stomp my feet. But then, I saw the importance and reasoning, and grudgingly found its purpose necessary. For this wasn’t about ‘them’ it was about ‘him’. And he hadn’t found his way…yet. He was still racing towards the summit, longing to reach that elusive peak.
Never fear, he follows his heart and bootless feet to claim his rightful place at…home.
Beware of: Passion for boxing is not required but quite possibly acquired. A defender becomes a gladiator…and falls along the way. Including one glorious drop for a sexy suit but he must free his soul before planting any roots. Oh, and there’s a little triple play but not unfaithfully.
This book is for: If you’re searching for something that packs a punch, this heavyweight is a sure-fire winner.
*4.5 stars*
Book UNfunk
September 13, 2020
3.5 Stars
Mean Machine was not what I was expecting.
The feels come from a hard life, not from a romance,
where unfairness, violence and abuse had me tied in knots with one of the MCs being a convict.
Besides, there is a lot about boxing, a sport I don't fancy but hear about because of my kids.
I remember last year, my son came up and asked me if he could gather some of his friends at our place to watch a fight at a very odd time.🤨 Can I just mention that it wasn't cheap, either? 🤷🏽♀️ At some point, I came downstairs and found around 7 or 8 massive teens boys sitting around hypnotized by the TV. I looked at it and what caught my attention was a short guy looking a bit too heavy. I said to the boys, isn't he a bit overweight for a fighter? It seems like he has no chance against the other one and I feel so sorry for him!😭😭 Well, that comment brought me all the attention. I had all eyes on me for a flick moment.
But it was my son who was brave enough to answer me. Shut up, Mom. The fat guy is a champion! And that was my cue to leave the room. Fast.🏃🏽♀️🚀
All that to say that Voinov had me spellbound in the fight scenes, a sport I don't appreciate and yet was totally invested in. He said he did a lot of research and it shows. It was very descriptive. My heart was in my mouth, and I was so freaking nervous rooting for Brook. How not to after following all his dedication and effort?
The Romance was the weakest link IMO, and as my friend Claudie
already said, perhaps this shouldn't even be considered a Romance.
The start was intriguing. I got excited when I met Nathaniel.
4 Stars until Nathaniel leaves.
3 Stars from there on.
Mean Machine was not what I was expecting.
The feels come from a hard life, not from a romance,
where unfairness, violence and abuse had me tied in knots with one of the MCs being a convict.
Besides, there is a lot about boxing, a sport I don't fancy but hear about because of my kids.
I remember last year, my son came up and asked me if he could gather some of his friends at our place to watch a fight at a very odd time.🤨 Can I just mention that it wasn't cheap, either? 🤷🏽♀️ At some point, I came downstairs and found around 7 or 8 massive teens boys sitting around hypnotized by the TV. I looked at it and what caught my attention was a short guy looking a bit too heavy. I said to the boys, isn't he a bit overweight for a fighter? It seems like he has no chance against the other one and I feel so sorry for him!😭😭 Well, that comment brought me all the attention. I had all eyes on me for a flick moment.
But it was my son who was brave enough to answer me. Shut up, Mom. The fat guy is a champion! And that was my cue to leave the room. Fast.🏃🏽♀️🚀
All that to say that Voinov had me spellbound in the fight scenes, a sport I don't appreciate and yet was totally invested in. He said he did a lot of research and it shows. It was very descriptive. My heart was in my mouth, and I was so freaking nervous rooting for Brook. How not to after following all his dedication and effort?
The Romance was the weakest link IMO, and as my friend Claudie
already said, perhaps this shouldn't even be considered a Romance.
The start was intriguing. I got excited when I met Nathaniel.
4 Stars until Nathaniel leaves.
3 Stars from there on.
Read
July 12, 2020The new book "Mean Machine", is based on "Counterpunch" (the characters are the same), but was removed from "BelongingVerse" and has been completely re-written and about doubled in size. It's really no longer the same book, but seems Goodsreads insists on calling it the same and assumes it's still in the series.
August 1, 2020
REVIEWED BY ULYSSES DIETZ
MEMBER OF THE PARANORMAL GUILD REVIEW TEAM
Aleksandr Voinov is kind of a rough, manly writer of gay romance. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but there you are. I missed the original 2011 version of this book, then titled Counterpunch, which was only half the length of the present work. This is essentially a new book, and the emotional depth and narrative richness I found here suggest that it was worth the time and re-writing.
Brooklyn Marshall is a professional boxer; but he is not a free man. In this all-too-close dystopian world, just a year or two hence, we find political upheaval, economic turmoil, and a prison system that has been largely privatized by global corporate interests. Prisoners with special talents are placed in stewardship, their careers monetized and closely monitored. They are essentially indentured servants, celebrities treated like criminals, making a profit for others and working toward the distant goal of buying their freedom.
Brooklyn is a working-class Brit who fled a violent home and became a policeman. A violent moment during a political protest destroyed his life, and now the only light in Brooklyn’s dimmed days is the time he spends in the boxing ring, unleashing his rage and his enormous talent on those who challenge him.
Then one day, expecting yet another sordid pay-for-play hotel hook-up arranged by his handlers, Brooklyn meets Nathaniel Bishop: elegant, upper-class, rich, and gay. Thus begins a strange friendship, a confused mélange of affection, financial manipulation, and mutual attraction. Nathaniel knows most of Brooklyn’s secrets; but he has a few of his own, including a past marriage and an adopted child about whom he refuses to speak.
The book, however, is entirely narrated through Brooklyn’s eyes, and it is this powerful, wounded, angry man who opens himself to the reader, bit by bit, and lets us come to understand what drives him. Even Nathaniel, who seems to care about him more than anyone in his life ever has, can’t fully grasp who Brooklyn truly is. That, of course, is the set-up for the emotional twists and turns that the plot throws our way.
I really don’t like boxing. Interestingly, I don’t think Voinov does, either. But the author respects boxing, both its physical intensity and its intellectual complexity. Through his meticulous writing and carefully staged moments in the boxing ring, the reader comes to share that respect, both for the sport, and for Brooklyn himself. This is as close as most of us will ever understand what it’s like to be a professional boxer. It is brutal, beautiful, and breathtaking.
Simply speaking, this is a journey of redemption, both morally and emotionally. It is the story of one man’s struggle up out of anger and violence to light and love. As someone who identifies with Nathanial in most ways, I completely bought into the idea that Brooklyn was a man that deserved to be adored.
MEMBER OF THE PARANORMAL GUILD REVIEW TEAM
Aleksandr Voinov is kind of a rough, manly writer of gay romance. Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but there you are. I missed the original 2011 version of this book, then titled Counterpunch, which was only half the length of the present work. This is essentially a new book, and the emotional depth and narrative richness I found here suggest that it was worth the time and re-writing.
Brooklyn Marshall is a professional boxer; but he is not a free man. In this all-too-close dystopian world, just a year or two hence, we find political upheaval, economic turmoil, and a prison system that has been largely privatized by global corporate interests. Prisoners with special talents are placed in stewardship, their careers monetized and closely monitored. They are essentially indentured servants, celebrities treated like criminals, making a profit for others and working toward the distant goal of buying their freedom.
Brooklyn is a working-class Brit who fled a violent home and became a policeman. A violent moment during a political protest destroyed his life, and now the only light in Brooklyn’s dimmed days is the time he spends in the boxing ring, unleashing his rage and his enormous talent on those who challenge him.
Then one day, expecting yet another sordid pay-for-play hotel hook-up arranged by his handlers, Brooklyn meets Nathaniel Bishop: elegant, upper-class, rich, and gay. Thus begins a strange friendship, a confused mélange of affection, financial manipulation, and mutual attraction. Nathaniel knows most of Brooklyn’s secrets; but he has a few of his own, including a past marriage and an adopted child about whom he refuses to speak.
The book, however, is entirely narrated through Brooklyn’s eyes, and it is this powerful, wounded, angry man who opens himself to the reader, bit by bit, and lets us come to understand what drives him. Even Nathaniel, who seems to care about him more than anyone in his life ever has, can’t fully grasp who Brooklyn truly is. That, of course, is the set-up for the emotional twists and turns that the plot throws our way.
I really don’t like boxing. Interestingly, I don’t think Voinov does, either. But the author respects boxing, both its physical intensity and its intellectual complexity. Through his meticulous writing and carefully staged moments in the boxing ring, the reader comes to share that respect, both for the sport, and for Brooklyn himself. This is as close as most of us will ever understand what it’s like to be a professional boxer. It is brutal, beautiful, and breathtaking.
Simply speaking, this is a journey of redemption, both morally and emotionally. It is the story of one man’s struggle up out of anger and violence to light and love. As someone who identifies with Nathanial in most ways, I completely bought into the idea that Brooklyn was a man that deserved to be adored.
September 7, 2020
I’m a little disappointed with this book. The first half (or thereabouts) was amazing, gritty and raw and everything I’ve come to expect from Voinov’s work. It’s clear he'd done extensive research on boxing — and I always appreciate that — and the fight sequences were engaging and very well-written, unpredictable and full of nail-biting tension. The worldbuilding was nice (if a little perfunctory), and of course Voinov’s writing style is nothing to sneeze at, either. So, what went wrong?
It feels like I’ve read a book and its sequel, all at once. The transition was really noticeable, too — at ~45%, there was this strange plateau, before the story moved on. The flow suffered. And to tell the truth, I wasn’t too keen on the ‘sequel.’
Aside from that, my biggest issue with this book was the romance. It was completely lacking in passion (well, except for a few well-done sex scenes), and seemed more like an afterthought than one of the main focus points. Should this book even be shelved as a romance? I’m not sure. I didn’t feel any sort of connection between the two MCs. What’s more, I couldn’t connect to them, either.
I think the fact that the character I liked most was the snobby ex-husband of one of the MCs (who only appeared two times, and very briefly at that) says a lot.
It feels like I’ve read a book and its sequel, all at once. The transition was really noticeable, too — at ~45%, there was this strange plateau, before the story moved on. The flow suffered. And to tell the truth, I wasn’t too keen on the ‘sequel.’
Aside from that, my biggest issue with this book was the romance. It was completely lacking in passion (well, except for a few well-done sex scenes), and seemed more like an afterthought than one of the main focus points. Should this book even be shelved as a romance? I’m not sure. I didn’t feel any sort of connection between the two MCs. What’s more, I couldn’t connect to them, either.
I think the fact that the character I liked most was the snobby ex-husband of one of the MCs (who only appeared two times, and very briefly at that) says a lot.
August 1, 2020
For a boxer ravaged by guilt and in deep denial of his desires, a fight beyond the ring might yield his greatest prize. In a dystopian UK devastated by austerity and ruled by corporate interests, Brooklyn Marshall was a happily married London police officer—until an accident resulted in the death of a protester connected to a powerful family. Now he takes out his anger and pain on his opponents, fighting for the company that took him into stewardship after his conviction and disgrace—and which all but owns him. Wealthy barrister Nathaniel Bishop fulfills his dream of a family when he adopts a daughter. He can’t resist researching her allegedly violent criminal father, but Brook isn’t at all what he expects. He’s fascinating… and maybe worthy of redemption. Through legal sleight of hand, Nathaniel thinks he can overturn Brook’s conviction. Brook has learned the hard way not to trust anyone, let alone a privileged man who’s purchased his “time.” But as they get to know each other, he allows himself to hope. With his fights getting deadlier, hope might be the only thing to carry Brook through.
Review:
I have had certain expectations when I have bought this book, but let's just say it surpassed my expectations a great deal. Yes, the settings are dark but very realistic . I actually think that it was very cleverly done how dystopian aspects of the settings were tied into very real things which were/are happening in Britain and around the world. I at some point had to stop and ask myself am I sure that stewardship is not real yet where I am ? Because a lot of economic reasons which may lead into it certainly are very much present in our society already.
Yes, stewardship is a slavery in more ways than it is not ( technically you can get out of it, but realistically - not so much unless somebody helps you ), but power imbalance between the two men which exists in the beginning is done away early enough in the book. Actually, I should say the most significant aspect of that power imbalance is gone, because of course there some subtle imbalances which stay for longer, but it would have been unrealistic for them to become on completely equal footing too fast after everything Brooklyn went through and everything that he had to achieve to come back as equal to Nathaniel at the end .
The book has a lot of technical details about boxing. I watched some boxing when I was younger but stopped because for me it became too violent. It does not mean I stopped liking the sport, it is just the more I had read about the injuries and consequences, I could not deal with it, but if it makes sense I still miss watching it sometimes. I am not sure if I am making sense , but it is what it is.
To get back to the book, I never knew a lot about the sport, but the boxing parts are written with the great deal of authority. Author says at the end that he researched a lot about boxing ( he specifies what he read, I am basically summarizing) and it showed throughout the book. I guess those parts were exciting to read. Some of these parts were also violent, but again I did not feel as if it was a sensationalistic violence. It felt real to me, as if it could happen in the ring. The book does not even have chapters, instead they are called rounds and the book has 12 rounds, so I guess it is structured like a boxing match.
The romance storyline was lovely. There was nothing more I could ask for. As I said, the most obvious aspect of power imbalance was resolved early enough in the book, I think somewhere around 46 percent of the story on my kindle ) and even if it was not there, it was not played out for kicks so to speak. Nathaniel and Brooklyn just clicked for me and the reasons for tension made perfect sense and how it was resolved made perfect sense. I often dislike what I call a mandatory break up between the characters simply because the reasons for it just don't make sense and when the characters are staying away from each other for a while, often it makes even less sense and in this book it all made sense .
I always enjoyed this author's writing style and this book was no exception.
“Slide of skin on skin, brushing of lips, and the odd sense of peace and fulfilment right there, right now. Part of Brooklyn wanted Nathaniel to look away, because it was damn near too intense to stare at him like this, but another part of him realised the man’s hunger for him wasn’t merely sexual. But he’d known that, right?”
Sex scenes were smoking hot too ( not too many, but really just enough for me), but there is a warning of the kind which I am issuing in connection with the sex scenes, because I had a little sideline squick and in case somebody else does too, I decided to warn .
In the second part of the book our guys broke up which made perfect sense for me - Brooklyn had to relearn how to be completely independent and stay on his own two feet , so I was all for it.
SPOILER
While they are not together Brooklyn has a relaxation night with two other boxers - it is nothing more than fun with friends for him and same for them. It was a smoking hot scene for me and I was all for Brooklyn getting rid of the stress between fights and these guys were lovely characters.
Squick I mentioned? These guys are twins and they are together so if that's not your thing, you could easily skip the scene and enjoy friendship between them.
Thats the only squick I had and so not to end with it I wanted to mention another character I enjoyed is Hazel, Nathaniel's adoptive daughter and as Brooklyn learns his daughter as well. As a rule I don't mind kids in romance stories ( I know it is not fully a romance, but it has a very significant romantic story front and center ), but sometimes writers write kids as a little you know it all Bossy adults and Hazel was not like that. She was a joy to read about and to see adults interacting with her was fun too.
“Brooklyn couldn’t help but see Nathaniel’s face soften when he held the kid. Something pinched in his chest. Maybe it was about Nathaniel’s full focus resting on the child, maybe it was the extended cuddle and how naturally he picked her up, with her chubby childish arms around his neck but stealing cheeky little glances at Brooklyn from the protection behind Nathaniel’s head, or how Nathaniel smoothed her silky flyaway hair against the breeze from the sea and bent down to pick up the straw hat that had fallen into the sand. Brooklyn was faster—he picked up the hat before Nathaniel reached it and offered it to him.”
Grade: B+.
Review:
I have had certain expectations when I have bought this book, but let's just say it surpassed my expectations a great deal. Yes, the settings are dark but very realistic . I actually think that it was very cleverly done how dystopian aspects of the settings were tied into very real things which were/are happening in Britain and around the world. I at some point had to stop and ask myself am I sure that stewardship is not real yet where I am ? Because a lot of economic reasons which may lead into it certainly are very much present in our society already.
Yes, stewardship is a slavery in more ways than it is not ( technically you can get out of it, but realistically - not so much unless somebody helps you ), but power imbalance between the two men which exists in the beginning is done away early enough in the book. Actually, I should say the most significant aspect of that power imbalance is gone, because of course there some subtle imbalances which stay for longer, but it would have been unrealistic for them to become on completely equal footing too fast after everything Brooklyn went through and everything that he had to achieve to come back as equal to Nathaniel at the end .
The book has a lot of technical details about boxing. I watched some boxing when I was younger but stopped because for me it became too violent. It does not mean I stopped liking the sport, it is just the more I had read about the injuries and consequences, I could not deal with it, but if it makes sense I still miss watching it sometimes. I am not sure if I am making sense , but it is what it is.
To get back to the book, I never knew a lot about the sport, but the boxing parts are written with the great deal of authority. Author says at the end that he researched a lot about boxing ( he specifies what he read, I am basically summarizing) and it showed throughout the book. I guess those parts were exciting to read. Some of these parts were also violent, but again I did not feel as if it was a sensationalistic violence. It felt real to me, as if it could happen in the ring. The book does not even have chapters, instead they are called rounds and the book has 12 rounds, so I guess it is structured like a boxing match.
The romance storyline was lovely. There was nothing more I could ask for. As I said, the most obvious aspect of power imbalance was resolved early enough in the book, I think somewhere around 46 percent of the story on my kindle ) and even if it was not there, it was not played out for kicks so to speak. Nathaniel and Brooklyn just clicked for me and the reasons for tension made perfect sense and how it was resolved made perfect sense. I often dislike what I call a mandatory break up between the characters simply because the reasons for it just don't make sense and when the characters are staying away from each other for a while, often it makes even less sense and in this book it all made sense .
I always enjoyed this author's writing style and this book was no exception.
“Slide of skin on skin, brushing of lips, and the odd sense of peace and fulfilment right there, right now. Part of Brooklyn wanted Nathaniel to look away, because it was damn near too intense to stare at him like this, but another part of him realised the man’s hunger for him wasn’t merely sexual. But he’d known that, right?”
Sex scenes were smoking hot too ( not too many, but really just enough for me), but there is a warning of the kind which I am issuing in connection with the sex scenes, because I had a little sideline squick and in case somebody else does too, I decided to warn .
In the second part of the book our guys broke up which made perfect sense for me - Brooklyn had to relearn how to be completely independent and stay on his own two feet , so I was all for it.
SPOILER
While they are not together Brooklyn has a relaxation night with two other boxers - it is nothing more than fun with friends for him and same for them. It was a smoking hot scene for me and I was all for Brooklyn getting rid of the stress between fights and these guys were lovely characters.
Squick I mentioned? These guys are twins and they are together so if that's not your thing, you could easily skip the scene and enjoy friendship between them.
Thats the only squick I had and so not to end with it I wanted to mention another character I enjoyed is Hazel, Nathaniel's adoptive daughter and as Brooklyn learns his daughter as well. As a rule I don't mind kids in romance stories ( I know it is not fully a romance, but it has a very significant romantic story front and center ), but sometimes writers write kids as a little you know it all Bossy adults and Hazel was not like that. She was a joy to read about and to see adults interacting with her was fun too.
“Brooklyn couldn’t help but see Nathaniel’s face soften when he held the kid. Something pinched in his chest. Maybe it was about Nathaniel’s full focus resting on the child, maybe it was the extended cuddle and how naturally he picked her up, with her chubby childish arms around his neck but stealing cheeky little glances at Brooklyn from the protection behind Nathaniel’s head, or how Nathaniel smoothed her silky flyaway hair against the breeze from the sea and bent down to pick up the straw hat that had fallen into the sand. Brooklyn was faster—he picked up the hat before Nathaniel reached it and offered it to him.”
Grade: B+.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
September 19, 2020I LOVED Counterpunch, and this looks to be the re-edited, expanded (?), reissued version and I cannot wait!!!
July 21, 2020
Review by Gloria Lakritz Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
5 *****Stars
Book: Mean Machine
Author: Aleksandr Voinov
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Bisexual/Sci Fi/Sports
Release date : July 21, 2020
Page count: 291 pages
Rating: Mature Content
One of my all time favorite authors Aleks Voinov has certainly shown that he certainly does have “that special writing gene”. More and more as I read his work I am amazed at the talent of his words and the different genres he can speak to.
Counterpunch written in 2011 had been reworked by the author, expanded and modernized into its newest, Mean Machine. Set in an eerily dystopian future world of London England, we meet Brooklyn Marshall.
Brooklyn was raised in a in a violent home leaving and became a London police officer. During a protest in the city, there was an accident, he was quickly blamed and sent to prison. Interestingly enough the prison system used its more ‘useful’ prisoners by setting up corporate stewardships. This resulted in their prisoners being sold to corporations to make outside money yet still be kept as prisoners. They might not be in cells, and they were able to work off their contract, but the rules were stacked against them ever doing that .
Marshall is a prize fighter, in the heavy weight class. He is very good, and the story told thru Brooklyn is how we begin. It is after his fight, that we learn that he makes extra money by being bought for a nights entertainment; getting that extra monies for his ‘private time’ . Tonight, he is taken to a swanky hotel room and meets wealthy barrister Nathaniel Bishop. Unbeknownst to Brooklyn and the reader, there is a reason for the meeting.
I was never a boxing enthusiast, but I couldn’t help get so caught up in Voinov’s descriptions of Brooklyn, the fight world, its beauty and its horrors. The author begins peeling off the layers slowly, letting us ‘feel’ what makes up Brooklyn Marshall. He was a stranger at first, letting him tell us his pain, his anger, and finally his truths.
We also see Nathaniel, learning about this man, this fighter, loving him, and his pain to let go. Aleks If you are reading this review, ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE READ IN A VERY LONG TIME!
5 *****Stars
Book: Mean Machine
Author: Aleksandr Voinov
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Bisexual/Sci Fi/Sports
Release date : July 21, 2020
Page count: 291 pages
Rating: Mature Content
One of my all time favorite authors Aleks Voinov has certainly shown that he certainly does have “that special writing gene”. More and more as I read his work I am amazed at the talent of his words and the different genres he can speak to.
Counterpunch written in 2011 had been reworked by the author, expanded and modernized into its newest, Mean Machine. Set in an eerily dystopian future world of London England, we meet Brooklyn Marshall.
Brooklyn was raised in a in a violent home leaving and became a London police officer. During a protest in the city, there was an accident, he was quickly blamed and sent to prison. Interestingly enough the prison system used its more ‘useful’ prisoners by setting up corporate stewardships. This resulted in their prisoners being sold to corporations to make outside money yet still be kept as prisoners. They might not be in cells, and they were able to work off their contract, but the rules were stacked against them ever doing that .
Marshall is a prize fighter, in the heavy weight class. He is very good, and the story told thru Brooklyn is how we begin. It is after his fight, that we learn that he makes extra money by being bought for a nights entertainment; getting that extra monies for his ‘private time’ . Tonight, he is taken to a swanky hotel room and meets wealthy barrister Nathaniel Bishop. Unbeknownst to Brooklyn and the reader, there is a reason for the meeting.
I was never a boxing enthusiast, but I couldn’t help get so caught up in Voinov’s descriptions of Brooklyn, the fight world, its beauty and its horrors. The author begins peeling off the layers slowly, letting us ‘feel’ what makes up Brooklyn Marshall. He was a stranger at first, letting him tell us his pain, his anger, and finally his truths.
We also see Nathaniel, learning about this man, this fighter, loving him, and his pain to let go. Aleks If you are reading this review, ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I HAVE READ IN A VERY LONG TIME!
November 25, 2020
I don't know how to start with this one... But one thing I'm sure is that I loved it! 🥰❤
The style reminded me a little of Nowhere Ranch and Thrown off the Ice, in the sense that it felt almost like an autobiography, where you are with one character from start to finish and you see him struggling the system, fighting, falling in love, learning to trust, learning that he has a family, gaining friends, becoming a free man, succeeding in his boxer career and then coming back home to his family. Is not a love story, is just the story of Brooklyn, The Mean Machine, and to me as a reader, I enjoyed being with him for a few hours through it all.
I must say that for people who have no knowledge of boxing as a sport this could be a difficult read, there are a lot of boxing terms, a lot of fights because that's what he does and yep, that could be difficult. Thanks to my dad I knew almost all of it and I must say that the author did an excellent job at describing this situations.
Is a long read, with a lot of ups and downs but with clear life lessons and a lot of love. Really enjoyed it! ❤🥰
The style reminded me a little of Nowhere Ranch and Thrown off the Ice, in the sense that it felt almost like an autobiography, where you are with one character from start to finish and you see him struggling the system, fighting, falling in love, learning to trust, learning that he has a family, gaining friends, becoming a free man, succeeding in his boxer career and then coming back home to his family. Is not a love story, is just the story of Brooklyn, The Mean Machine, and to me as a reader, I enjoyed being with him for a few hours through it all.
I must say that for people who have no knowledge of boxing as a sport this could be a difficult read, there are a lot of boxing terms, a lot of fights because that's what he does and yep, that could be difficult. Thanks to my dad I knew almost all of it and I must say that the author did an excellent job at describing this situations.
Is a long read, with a lot of ups and downs but with clear life lessons and a lot of love. Really enjoyed it! ❤🥰
December 20, 2020
This year hasn't been very fruitful when it comes to reading, and considering the foul mood I've been in, specially with romance reads, I tried to avoid books from my favorite authors. However, the itch to read books is back slowly but surely so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try the latest book by Voinov which conveniently enough isn't romance focused.
I remember reading the first co-authored version so many bits from the beginning felt familiar. The world building of this version is more contemporary while maintaining the dystopian feel by the instauration of the exploitative stewardship system Brooklyn is victim of. We accompany him in his path to redemption and witness how he goes from being a man full of guilt and apparently endless rage, to become a mature person at peace with his environment and with a bigger purpose than beating the shit out of other men.
The tone of the book might feel...how can I explain?...a bit...dull, soulless? Despite the stuff the MC was going through (except when the fight scenes happened which were very well executed and exciting ngl) but then that comes down to the main character himself being a bit too macho to be appealing on page. Also there's a clear division of the book that makes you think this is a two book condensed into one instead of a one novel. It's worth mentioning because after the big fight took place I found it hard to find another reason for Brooklyn journey to continue and the shift of the story was noticable enough to get accustomed to it right away. In the end the events afterwards where clearly necessary for the character growth and it was nice to see it. The romantic elements were...soso, i felt some stuff was pushed and others flowed well, , in the end Brooklyn and Nathaniel make a good pair.
Overall it's a satisfying read :).
I remember reading the first co-authored version so many bits from the beginning felt familiar. The world building of this version is more contemporary while maintaining the dystopian feel by the instauration of the exploitative stewardship system Brooklyn is victim of. We accompany him in his path to redemption and witness how he goes from being a man full of guilt and apparently endless rage, to become a mature person at peace with his environment and with a bigger purpose than beating the shit out of other men.
The tone of the book might feel...how can I explain?...a bit...dull, soulless? Despite the stuff the MC was going through (except when the fight scenes happened which were very well executed and exciting ngl) but then that comes down to the main character himself being a bit too macho to be appealing on page. Also there's a clear division of the book that makes you think this is a two book condensed into one instead of a one novel. It's worth mentioning because after the big fight took place I found it hard to find another reason for Brooklyn journey to continue and the shift of the story was noticable enough to get accustomed to it right away. In the end the events afterwards where clearly necessary for the character growth and it was nice to see it. The romantic elements were...soso, i felt some stuff was pushed and others flowed well, , in the end Brooklyn and Nathaniel make a good pair.
Overall it's a satisfying read :).
March 19, 2021
~3.5~
Every man has a price.
I don’t, Brooklyn thought. You can’t buy me. You can’t break my heart.
The first half of the book fell in line with what I expected the entire book to be about. So I was a bit caught off guard when the story continued past what I thought would be the end. This is Brooklyn’s story, the underdog ravaged by guilt, seeking redemption, getting lost in the money and fame and finding his footing again. Brooklyn’s journey is the strongest part of the book. I loved Brooklyn’s boxing matches and the author’s idea and execution of corporate stewardship. The discussion about America’s covert stewardship was so on point. Damn student loans.
I was not fully invested in the romance with Nathaniel. It could very well be that the beginning of their relationship was rushed, that Brooklyn, with as hard as his life had become, couldn’t fully be as invested as Nathaniel was in their relationship or that in his bisexuality, Brooklyn was more comfortable with emotional intimacy with women than men. Also, Rose was a bit of a distraction to the romance. I did like the tension, their differences and disagreements and what Nathaniel taught Brooklyn about himself.
He'd long suspected that one of the fucked-up synapses in his brain put it all in one mental bucket—gay, weak, emotional period. And emotional meant soft. Anger and rage were different; they were strong. "...Nathaniel's emotional, but he's also strong mentally. Physically I could break him...but mentally, I know Nathaniel's up there with the best of them. And I like that about him, a lot. He has something I don't have—he can deal with what he's feeling."
Overall, a well written story. I’ve heard great things about this author’s work and I was not disappointed.
Every man has a price.
I don’t, Brooklyn thought. You can’t buy me. You can’t break my heart.
The first half of the book fell in line with what I expected the entire book to be about. So I was a bit caught off guard when the story continued past what I thought would be the end. This is Brooklyn’s story, the underdog ravaged by guilt, seeking redemption, getting lost in the money and fame and finding his footing again. Brooklyn’s journey is the strongest part of the book. I loved Brooklyn’s boxing matches and the author’s idea and execution of corporate stewardship. The discussion about America’s covert stewardship was so on point. Damn student loans.
I was not fully invested in the romance with Nathaniel. It could very well be that the beginning of their relationship was rushed, that Brooklyn, with as hard as his life had become, couldn’t fully be as invested as Nathaniel was in their relationship or that in his bisexuality, Brooklyn was more comfortable with emotional intimacy with women than men. Also, Rose was a bit of a distraction to the romance. I did like the tension, their differences and disagreements and what Nathaniel taught Brooklyn about himself.
He'd long suspected that one of the fucked-up synapses in his brain put it all in one mental bucket—gay, weak, emotional period. And emotional meant soft. Anger and rage were different; they were strong. "...Nathaniel's emotional, but he's also strong mentally. Physically I could break him...but mentally, I know Nathaniel's up there with the best of them. And I like that about him, a lot. He has something I don't have—he can deal with what he's feeling."
Overall, a well written story. I’ve heard great things about this author’s work and I was not disappointed.
July 8, 2021
A book good enough it snatched me from gaming... and kept me until I read it whole. While I wasn't satisfied with all points or elements, I still feel this book managed to do a very remarkable jog of squeezing a "lifetime" into not even two years of life and few hours of reading time.
I do have to get back to gaming so this is the only thing you're going to get but my message is quite simple and clear: recommend.
I do have to get back to gaming so this is the only thing you're going to get but my message is quite simple and clear: recommend.
July 26, 2020
Amazing!
I have been looking forward to this one for awhile so was ready the minute it was released to start. I had not read it back when it was Counterpunch so had no preconceived ideas of how the story would play out.
This version was unbelievable! I don’t really expect anything less from this author though.
I really enjoyed the boxing theme and got to know things I didn’t about the sport. I loved the cast of characters especially Brooklyn of course. There was enough drama and enough sweetness. Just a fantastic read.
I have been looking forward to this one for awhile so was ready the minute it was released to start. I had not read it back when it was Counterpunch so had no preconceived ideas of how the story would play out.
This version was unbelievable! I don’t really expect anything less from this author though.
I really enjoyed the boxing theme and got to know things I didn’t about the sport. I loved the cast of characters especially Brooklyn of course. There was enough drama and enough sweetness. Just a fantastic read.
August 15, 2021
I liked the plot premise and the MCs. I would have preferred having some perspective from Nathaniel's POV ... especially regarding his motivations behind seeking out his adoptive daughter's father (details provided could have done with more elaboration). The post-Brexit dystopian setting was proved interesting and I can definitely see the many parallels drawn with .
July 27, 2020
To be honest, if this book had not been written by Aleksandr Voinov, I probably would not have picked it up – not really the genre I usually prefer to read. However, Mr. Voinov is one of my all-time favorite authors (in my opinion, especially his historical novels deserve some kind of big golden medal); I trust him and his writing abilities. He is someone who knows how to do his research, and I think it is obvious that he puts his heart and soul into his work. He deserves as much praise and attention as possible.
As expected, Mean Machine is a good, solid book. It is surrounded by a very dystopian atmosphere, set in a harsh world that almost seems to be inspired by current political events and certain … nationalist (*cough* fascist *cough*) tendencies. At least that is my impression; I could be wrong though.
I should mention that I never read the old version, so I cannot really draw a comparison, but I really enjoyed Mean Machine. It includes two crucial things that I appreciate in a book:
1. Great characters that feel real and human. Brooklyn is a character consumed by rage and pain; he is not a free man, has been hurt deeply and is now not someone who trusts others easily. Both he and Nathaniel are without any doubt good people, but they have their own flaws, secrets, and struggles to deal with. They make mistakes – which does not mean that they do not try to change and learn from them (even though it took Brooklyn a long time to knock down some of his massive walls and open up). You can follow both men on their journey and see them grow and improve while coming together as a couple. I loved this – nothing makes me as happy as characters undergoing a clear (and positive) development. The secondary characters were also interesting and contributed to the plot. Little Hazel was absolutely adorable.
2. Great writing style. Mr. Voinov’s writing style is flawless. Vivid and descriptive, flowing easily. I am not going to pretend that I know anything about boxing – or sports in general –, the fight scenes though were very well-written. You feel what Brooklyn feels, you suffer and sweat with him while the crowds are roaring around him. Also, this is going to sound SO random and weird, but I really like the way Mr. Voinov describes food and clothes, lol. Before you judge me and declare me crazy, just listen to this and tell me that it does not make you hungry:
Another small detail that caught my eye is the mention of
I don’t know what else to say. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. Thank you, Mr. Voinov, for writing this story and sharing it. Looking forward to more.
As expected, Mean Machine is a good, solid book. It is surrounded by a very dystopian atmosphere, set in a harsh world that almost seems to be inspired by current political events and certain … nationalist (*cough* fascist *cough*) tendencies. At least that is my impression; I could be wrong though.
I should mention that I never read the old version, so I cannot really draw a comparison, but I really enjoyed Mean Machine. It includes two crucial things that I appreciate in a book:
1. Great characters that feel real and human. Brooklyn is a character consumed by rage and pain; he is not a free man, has been hurt deeply and is now not someone who trusts others easily. Both he and Nathaniel are without any doubt good people, but they have their own flaws, secrets, and struggles to deal with. They make mistakes – which does not mean that they do not try to change and learn from them (even though it took Brooklyn a long time to knock down some of his massive walls and open up). You can follow both men on their journey and see them grow and improve while coming together as a couple. I loved this – nothing makes me as happy as characters undergoing a clear (and positive) development. The secondary characters were also interesting and contributed to the plot. Little Hazel was absolutely adorable.
2. Great writing style. Mr. Voinov’s writing style is flawless. Vivid and descriptive, flowing easily. I am not going to pretend that I know anything about boxing – or sports in general –, the fight scenes though were very well-written. You feel what Brooklyn feels, you suffer and sweat with him while the crowds are roaring around him. Also, this is going to sound SO random and weird, but I really like the way Mr. Voinov describes food and clothes, lol. Before you judge me and declare me crazy, just listen to this and tell me that it does not make you hungry:
“A waiter rolled a cart in and set up their breakfast. Fried eggs, bacon, freshly squeezed orange juice, oat porridge, a bowl of fruit salad, a boiled egg, and some thick slices of white toast, golden with butter.”
Another small detail that caught my eye is the mention of
I don’t know what else to say. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. Thank you, Mr. Voinov, for writing this story and sharing it. Looking forward to more.
Favorite quote: “I want to be my own man.” Brooklyn gritted his teeth. “Make a cage golden, it’s still a f*** cage.”
August 5, 2020
I loved this book for a lot of reasons, but mostly for how beautifully the characters were written. Every scene was crafted thoughtfully, with loving detail, and the perfect mix of humor, tenderness, confusion, anger—whatever was meant to be displayed was framed perfectly and embodied by the characters.
As Aleks indicated, this book bears little resemblance to Counterpunch. It has been modified to remove the Belonging-verse elements, and expanded significantly. I have a lot of favorite lines, but some I can’t share, even marked as spoilers. :) It’s clear that a lot of research went into the writing, and and each scene strengthens the story; there’s no filler or superfluous explanations to trip up the readers.
I liked the development of Brook’s relationship with Nathaniel, and the friendships he made throughout the novel—with Rose and Em, Cash, Joseph, and even the glimpses of his interactions with the extended cast. There were some heartbreaking, gut-wrenching scenes in the book, and every fight was so visceral. The emotional impact as Brook moves from “just a convict” into his own sense of self/worth is stunning.
Rose and Em are two of my faves, though Cash and Joseph are both endearing for different reasons. I love Brooklyn—he’s so interesting, probably one of my favorites from Aleks. Nathaniel, I love because of Brook’s observation of him, and his strength, sense of ethics.
Overall, the book was gorgeously done, and my pleasure to read. Boxing has never really been on my radar, but after reading this book I have much more appreciation for the athletes and everything they work through or experience.
As Aleks indicated, this book bears little resemblance to Counterpunch. It has been modified to remove the Belonging-verse elements, and expanded significantly. I have a lot of favorite lines, but some I can’t share, even marked as spoilers. :) It’s clear that a lot of research went into the writing, and and each scene strengthens the story; there’s no filler or superfluous explanations to trip up the readers.
I liked the development of Brook’s relationship with Nathaniel, and the friendships he made throughout the novel—with Rose and Em, Cash, Joseph, and even the glimpses of his interactions with the extended cast. There were some heartbreaking, gut-wrenching scenes in the book, and every fight was so visceral. The emotional impact as Brook moves from “just a convict” into his own sense of self/worth is stunning.
Rose and Em are two of my faves, though Cash and Joseph are both endearing for different reasons. I love Brooklyn—he’s so interesting, probably one of my favorites from Aleks. Nathaniel, I love because of Brook’s observation of him, and his strength, sense of ethics.
Overall, the book was gorgeously done, and my pleasure to read. Boxing has never really been on my radar, but after reading this book I have much more appreciation for the athletes and everything they work through or experience.
July 3, 2021
This is a very good book, but the last thing it is is a romance. The romance was the weakest link of the book and the motivation of both MCs was questionable at best. The sex was not exciting and scarce and the only intimate sex happened outside of the main relationship (no cheating, though). I'm very conflicted about this. It's a very good story in an anti-utopia that is awfully close to reality, it's painful and engaging, but it didn't click for me. The lack of real intimacy between the MCs really put me off.
January 7, 2022
DNF @ 45%
This kills me because it's the first Voinov book I've had to DNF but I was so irritated by Nathaniel and so bored that I had to stop.
First of all, I think you need to be a boxing fan to appreciate this book. Some sports romances focus heavily on the sport and some don't. I took a gamble because I don't like boxing and unfortunately, this ended up being a book where the sport part took up a huge part of the story. But that wouldn't have been enough for me to DNF because if I liked the rest of the story, I would have gladly skimmed through the boxing parts to keep reading.
Another small problem I had was the endless repetition that kept the book moving at a snail's pace. Not just with boxing matches and training but the same worldbuilding facts get repeated over and over again and Brooklyn's internal thoughts were also very repetitive. I also didn't like that the dystopian world was very closely connected to our modern political landscape. Not only did I dislike the black and white depiction that painted one political party as nothing but evil villains (no points for guessing which one) and the other political party as saintly saints but I found the references to modern day politics an unnecessary distraction. I don't want to get inundated by political stuff in my romance books.
But my biggest problem was Nathaniel. His only attraction to Brooklyn seems to be that Brooklyn is a broken thing that Nathaniel wants to swoop in and save. Nathaniel has a savior complex and it made me cringe how he used his money and selfish desires to take control of Brooklyn's life, which is exactly what the prison corporation entity was doing to Brooklyn. Since Nathaniel considers himself one of the 'good guys', he thinks that justifies taking advantage of Brooklyn's vulnerabilities. The whole situation made me uncomfortable and it's not a solid basis to build a romantic relationship on. In addition, Brooklyn does like Nathaniel but he constantly compares him to his ex-wife and I didn't even get the sense that Brooklyn is any more gay than being gay-for-pay. Since Brooklyn has zero choice about anything in regards to his association with Nathaniel, it made me even more doubtful that Brooklyn has genuine romantic feelings for him.
Then things took a nosedive. Not only does Nathaniel randomly drop an ILY bomb out of the blue when the progression of their relationship makes this sentiment completely unrealistic, but the author introduces two more characters who are attracted to Brooklyn and there seemed to be hints that there would be sexual adventures happening between them and Brooklyn in the future. Since I was already unhappy with the one-sided nature of Nathaniel and Brooklyn's relationship, I wasn't in the mood to have an additional sexual pairing added into the mix.
But what made me give up on the book was the ridiculous way the author handled the whole Nathaniel-adopts-Brooklyns-daughter plotline. Throughout their entire 'relationship', Nathaniel never once tells Brooklyn that he has a daughter (Brooklyn never knew his ex-wife was pregnant) and that Nathaniel has adopted her. Since the relationship has 'progressed' to the point where Nathaniel is dropping ILY bombs and they're talking about living together, this was unforgiveable to me. Nathaniel's justifications for keeping the daughter a secret from Brooklyn AND for lying to Brooklyn from months about the daughter being the main reason behind his desire to associate with Brooklyn were also weak and made no sense. But I couldn't get past the timing of it. Nathaniel kept this information from Brooklyn for months. Nathaniel was basically planning their marriage and he still hadn't told Brooklyn.
But what's worse is that Brooklyn reacts to all of this information (him having a daughter he never knew existed, Nathaniel lying to him about her existence for months, Nathaniel having adopted his daughter - ie removing Brooklyn's legal rights to her, Nathaniel having lied to him about the adoption) in such a lowkey way that it completely threw me out of the story. Basically, he expresses a little bit of surprise and then seems okay with the entire situation. That's not how somebody would react to such a huge bombshell and betrayal and it felt so ridiculous that I didn't want to continue.
This kills me because it's the first Voinov book I've had to DNF but I was so irritated by Nathaniel and so bored that I had to stop.
First of all, I think you need to be a boxing fan to appreciate this book. Some sports romances focus heavily on the sport and some don't. I took a gamble because I don't like boxing and unfortunately, this ended up being a book where the sport part took up a huge part of the story. But that wouldn't have been enough for me to DNF because if I liked the rest of the story, I would have gladly skimmed through the boxing parts to keep reading.
Another small problem I had was the endless repetition that kept the book moving at a snail's pace. Not just with boxing matches and training but the same worldbuilding facts get repeated over and over again and Brooklyn's internal thoughts were also very repetitive. I also didn't like that the dystopian world was very closely connected to our modern political landscape. Not only did I dislike the black and white depiction that painted one political party as nothing but evil villains (no points for guessing which one) and the other political party as saintly saints but I found the references to modern day politics an unnecessary distraction. I don't want to get inundated by political stuff in my romance books.
But my biggest problem was Nathaniel. His only attraction to Brooklyn seems to be that Brooklyn is a broken thing that Nathaniel wants to swoop in and save. Nathaniel has a savior complex and it made me cringe how he used his money and selfish desires to take control of Brooklyn's life, which is exactly what the prison corporation entity was doing to Brooklyn. Since Nathaniel considers himself one of the 'good guys', he thinks that justifies taking advantage of Brooklyn's vulnerabilities. The whole situation made me uncomfortable and it's not a solid basis to build a romantic relationship on. In addition, Brooklyn does like Nathaniel but he constantly compares him to his ex-wife and I didn't even get the sense that Brooklyn is any more gay than being gay-for-pay. Since Brooklyn has zero choice about anything in regards to his association with Nathaniel, it made me even more doubtful that Brooklyn has genuine romantic feelings for him.
Then things took a nosedive. Not only does Nathaniel randomly drop an ILY bomb out of the blue when the progression of their relationship makes this sentiment completely unrealistic, but the author introduces two more characters who are attracted to Brooklyn and there seemed to be hints that there would be sexual adventures happening between them and Brooklyn in the future. Since I was already unhappy with the one-sided nature of Nathaniel and Brooklyn's relationship, I wasn't in the mood to have an additional sexual pairing added into the mix.
But what made me give up on the book was the ridiculous way the author handled the whole Nathaniel-adopts-Brooklyns-daughter plotline. Throughout their entire 'relationship', Nathaniel never once tells Brooklyn that he has a daughter (Brooklyn never knew his ex-wife was pregnant) and that Nathaniel has adopted her. Since the relationship has 'progressed' to the point where Nathaniel is dropping ILY bombs and they're talking about living together, this was unforgiveable to me. Nathaniel's justifications for keeping the daughter a secret from Brooklyn AND for lying to Brooklyn from months about the daughter being the main reason behind his desire to associate with Brooklyn were also weak and made no sense. But I couldn't get past the timing of it. Nathaniel kept this information from Brooklyn for months. Nathaniel was basically planning their marriage and he still hadn't told Brooklyn.
But what's worse is that Brooklyn reacts to all of this information (him having a daughter he never knew existed, Nathaniel lying to him about her existence for months, Nathaniel having adopted his daughter - ie removing Brooklyn's legal rights to her, Nathaniel having lied to him about the adoption) in such a lowkey way that it completely threw me out of the story. Basically, he expresses a little bit of surprise and then seems okay with the entire situation. That's not how somebody would react to such a huge bombshell and betrayal and it felt so ridiculous that I didn't want to continue.
December 27, 2025
2.5/5 (dnf @ 60%)
i really tried to stick this out because aleksandr voinov's works are usually impressive, but this one was sadly a miss for me. i made it about 60% in before losing interest and putting the book on hold, and i must've finished at least five books before finally making myself pick this one up again. i'm honestly pretty heartbroken to be giving up on it, but glancing at how much of the book is still left, i don't think i've got the determination to power through. i did get through the majority of it, though, and i'm leaving a rating because had i continued to the end, i'm almost positive that my rating would've been the same.
let me start by saying that the world-building was extremely interesting—probably the most engaging part of the book for me. the world brooklyn lived in felt real and terrifying. secondary characters like les, cash, and dragan also felt real. there were moments and situations in this story that seriously hit me straight in the gut and made my heart wrench.
now, the problem with this book wasn't that it was long as hell, it was that it felt long as hell. not only that, but the pacing was really slow. maybe i would've enjoyed Counterpunch, the previous (and much shorter) version of this book better? who knows.
something that really surprised me was that hazel being brooklyn's biological daughter was included in the blurb. i feel like it would've been much more enjoyable to have it been revealed as a plot twist in the book. honestly, though, what shocked me most was the almost complete lack of chemistry and passion between brooklyn and nathaniel. they just felt so bland together.
i'd also notice while reading that the overly blasé way in which brooklyn reacts to new and shocking information felt really strange. it wasn't even like he was numb to it... he just came across as indifferent. we weren't given very good descriptions of his reactions.
for example, the moment brooklyn discovers that a young child that he's only just recently met is his biological daughter (who he didn't even know existed) who's since been adopted by his love interest, all he does is say: “what? how?” it felt off because voinov would give these impressively fleshed-out descriptions of the political landscape of the dystopian world brooklyn lived in but then not even add in a pause or the description of brooklyn furrowing his brows to show that he was even slightly put off by this unsettling information.
i wanted to like this book so badly... but i think it's time that i broke up with it. 💔
i really tried to stick this out because aleksandr voinov's works are usually impressive, but this one was sadly a miss for me. i made it about 60% in before losing interest and putting the book on hold, and i must've finished at least five books before finally making myself pick this one up again. i'm honestly pretty heartbroken to be giving up on it, but glancing at how much of the book is still left, i don't think i've got the determination to power through. i did get through the majority of it, though, and i'm leaving a rating because had i continued to the end, i'm almost positive that my rating would've been the same.
let me start by saying that the world-building was extremely interesting—probably the most engaging part of the book for me. the world brooklyn lived in felt real and terrifying. secondary characters like les, cash, and dragan also felt real. there were moments and situations in this story that seriously hit me straight in the gut and made my heart wrench.
now, the problem with this book wasn't that it was long as hell, it was that it felt long as hell. not only that, but the pacing was really slow. maybe i would've enjoyed Counterpunch, the previous (and much shorter) version of this book better? who knows.
something that really surprised me was that hazel being brooklyn's biological daughter was included in the blurb. i feel like it would've been much more enjoyable to have it been revealed as a plot twist in the book. honestly, though, what shocked me most was the almost complete lack of chemistry and passion between brooklyn and nathaniel. they just felt so bland together.
i'd also notice while reading that the overly blasé way in which brooklyn reacts to new and shocking information felt really strange. it wasn't even like he was numb to it... he just came across as indifferent. we weren't given very good descriptions of his reactions.
for example, the moment brooklyn discovers that a young child that he's only just recently met is his biological daughter (who he didn't even know existed) who's since been adopted by his love interest, all he does is say: “what? how?” it felt off because voinov would give these impressively fleshed-out descriptions of the political landscape of the dystopian world brooklyn lived in but then not even add in a pause or the description of brooklyn furrowing his brows to show that he was even slightly put off by this unsettling information.
i wanted to like this book so badly... but i think it's time that i broke up with it. 💔
August 23, 2020
This was my first Voinov book (Special Forces still on my TBR pile). He is definitely a really good writer.
This story is different from the other MM Romance I usually read. For instance, there is only one POV.
Also the two MC’s spend the biggest part of the book apart. I was really disappointed by that. But for Brooklyn’s journey it made sense.
The dystopian aspect was really well done. It could easily become reality (which is a little scary).
The research on boxing was also really well done. Not that I have experience, but it felt very authentic.
Because the two MC’s spend so much time apart, there are not a lot of sex scenes.
There is also sex with others during their break up. I understand why the break up happened, but I didn’t like it and I also didn’t like Brooklyn having sex with others.
I’m happy they got their HAE in the end.
This story is different from the other MM Romance I usually read. For instance, there is only one POV.
Also the two MC’s spend the biggest part of the book apart. I was really disappointed by that. But for Brooklyn’s journey it made sense.
The dystopian aspect was really well done. It could easily become reality (which is a little scary).
The research on boxing was also really well done. Not that I have experience, but it felt very authentic.
Because the two MC’s spend so much time apart, there are not a lot of sex scenes.
There is also sex with others during their break up. I understand why the break up happened, but I didn’t like it and I also didn’t like Brooklyn having sex with others.
I’m happy they got their HAE in the end.
October 26, 2020
1 Star. I didn’t like this book. There was barely any romance here, it was just mostly about Brooklyn’s life without Nathaniel (who’s supposed to be his love interest)
I HATED Brooklyn. He was a horrible & unlikeable character, Nathaniel deserved so much better than someone who saw him as an afterthought. Tbh i felt Brooklyn liked the twins more than he did Nathaniel. I was really looking forward to this book since July, so disappointed.
I HATED Brooklyn. He was a horrible & unlikeable character, Nathaniel deserved so much better than someone who saw him as an afterthought. Tbh i felt Brooklyn liked the twins more than he did Nathaniel. I was really looking forward to this book since July, so disappointed.
January 26, 2021
This was an interesting one and I usually don’t like reading books that have been published before and then reworked. Luckily, I didn’t know this fact until after the book and I picked this up on a recommendation.
The world is slightly dystopian and a lot of the world building remains very contemporary there are a few elements in terms of policing and government which are different. The world of boxing remains pretty much the same, so the world building is only really noticed at the very start of this book.
Brooklyn is paying off a debt and his life has now become boxing. Nathaniel enters his life and is different from those around him who want something. I can’t really go into without spoiling the book. Nathaniel is well to do, rich, accomplished and comes from an elite background. However, he is also tender, sweet, understands himself and doesn’t use his wealth to be a dick. Both men hit it off and it s a tender friendship. They obviously have an attraction to each other which leads to sex. I found them getting together quite sudden and not very well developed. It’s all so much of a start to something but Nathaniel ends up confessing his love which made me go...huh?
We have an obstacle that was placed between the couple, which leads to them being a part and Brooklyn having to back away and look at his life the way it is now. This means the tentative relationship ends up going back fifty steps and it’s all a little weird.
There is a huge chunk where we live through Brooklyn’s life without Nathaniel and there is nothing wrong with that. That was actually the best part, we got to see this man on his own terms and live his own life. We are also introduced to some interesting secondary characters, Brooklyn’s management team and the twins. I felt the author did a better development there than the author did between the two main characters. It’s a shame because I fell like Nathaniel was only there for one reason, and that’s how their life was then eventually built upon.
Brooklyn has an intense friendship and chemistry with the twins and ultimately it was one of the twins that made him understand what he wanted from life. Even though Nathaniel had said the same thing, but it was someone else Brooklyn listened too. I kind of took a slight to that, but maybe he needed to see this through with someone he cared and respected to really understand what life was other than boxing.
Overall, this is a really engaging book, which made me read it in two sittings. Brooklyn is a very interesting character and I wish we had more of them as a couple and more about a Nathaniel as his own man. However, it for all intents and purposes it is a story about Brooklyn.
The world is slightly dystopian and a lot of the world building remains very contemporary there are a few elements in terms of policing and government which are different. The world of boxing remains pretty much the same, so the world building is only really noticed at the very start of this book.
Brooklyn is paying off a debt and his life has now become boxing. Nathaniel enters his life and is different from those around him who want something. I can’t really go into without spoiling the book. Nathaniel is well to do, rich, accomplished and comes from an elite background. However, he is also tender, sweet, understands himself and doesn’t use his wealth to be a dick. Both men hit it off and it s a tender friendship. They obviously have an attraction to each other which leads to sex. I found them getting together quite sudden and not very well developed. It’s all so much of a start to something but Nathaniel ends up confessing his love which made me go...huh?
We have an obstacle that was placed between the couple, which leads to them being a part and Brooklyn having to back away and look at his life the way it is now. This means the tentative relationship ends up going back fifty steps and it’s all a little weird.
There is a huge chunk where we live through Brooklyn’s life without Nathaniel and there is nothing wrong with that. That was actually the best part, we got to see this man on his own terms and live his own life. We are also introduced to some interesting secondary characters, Brooklyn’s management team and the twins. I felt the author did a better development there than the author did between the two main characters. It’s a shame because I fell like Nathaniel was only there for one reason, and that’s how their life was then eventually built upon.
Brooklyn has an intense friendship and chemistry with the twins and ultimately it was one of the twins that made him understand what he wanted from life. Even though Nathaniel had said the same thing, but it was someone else Brooklyn listened too. I kind of took a slight to that, but maybe he needed to see this through with someone he cared and respected to really understand what life was other than boxing.
Overall, this is a really engaging book, which made me read it in two sittings. Brooklyn is a very interesting character and I wish we had more of them as a couple and more about a Nathaniel as his own man. However, it for all intents and purposes it is a story about Brooklyn.
November 21, 2021
DNF 45% and I'm devastated because Aleksandr Voinov can truly do no wrong in my eyes. I would probably continue reading anyway, but at Round 6, I feel no questions or curiosities regarding the rest of the book. I have no doubt there's more to it, but there's nothing pulling me to explore what that may be which is sad. For me.
I LOVED the premise, and the writing was SUPERB as usual. I cannot get over the tiniest little details in the descriptions of places and people, and just minor little quips and anecdotes. I truly relish reading his work.
The world was explained well, and I enjoyed how the details about Brooklyn and the whole system was explained over the course of the first few chapters.
I didn't understand Nathaniel and Brooklyn together. The way they got together was like, a little ick but explained and understood and i was fine with it. But then it just got ickier and I just felt really, really not good about it.
The chemistry was not there at all, which is probably the biggest reason this didnt work for me. I don't see understand how they work, and the timeline of their relationship was so unclear and made no sense.
I was so excited to see how the author would reveal the baby and was sooo disappointed.
I really enjoyed every single secondary character (Les, Cash, Cubans, Eric, Dagan, and even Curtis because I saw his character so clearly. And like, Les too; I felt their relationships ups and down so keenly). I'm just disappointed in the execution I guess. But on to the next, because I'm still sticking with the author.
I LOVED the premise, and the writing was SUPERB as usual. I cannot get over the tiniest little details in the descriptions of places and people, and just minor little quips and anecdotes. I truly relish reading his work.
The world was explained well, and I enjoyed how the details about Brooklyn and the whole system was explained over the course of the first few chapters.
I didn't understand Nathaniel and Brooklyn together. The way they got together was like, a little ick but explained and understood and i was fine with it. But then it just got ickier and I just felt really, really not good about it.
The chemistry was not there at all, which is probably the biggest reason this didnt work for me. I don't see understand how they work, and the timeline of their relationship was so unclear and made no sense.
I was so excited to see how the author would reveal the baby and was sooo disappointed.
I really enjoyed every single secondary character (Les, Cash, Cubans, Eric, Dagan, and even Curtis because I saw his character so clearly. And like, Les too; I felt their relationships ups and down so keenly). I'm just disappointed in the execution I guess. But on to the next, because I'm still sticking with the author.
September 27, 2020
Another keeper from Mr Voinov whose work I will always buy sight unseen. I read this as Counterpunch previously, and while I enjoyed it, I can say the redoubled efforts on this new version have borne fruit. It’s twice as long, for one thing. There’s a lot going on in the story, plot lines and well fleshed out side characters. It doesn’t just focus on Brooklyn and whoever he’s fucking, but his whole life journey and his attempts at finding connection and family. It also is heavily researched on the sport angle, something which is rare in a romance-oriented story. It’s refreshing to explore the psychology of an athlete. As an athlete it was good to feel seen.
The story bobbed and weaved. I wasn’t able to predict what was in store for Brook. The climax came out of nowhere! And the conclusion was satisfying and got me misty-eyed.
This kind of well-balanced tale is what I’ve come to expect from one of my all-time favorite authors.
The story bobbed and weaved. I wasn’t able to predict what was in store for Brook. The climax came out of nowhere! And the conclusion was satisfying and got me misty-eyed.
This kind of well-balanced tale is what I’ve come to expect from one of my all-time favorite authors.
October 10, 2021
Set in a dystopian Britain, this is a journey to redemption and love and finding himself for Brooklyn Marshall, an ex-copper who became a convict for accidentally killing the daughter of an influential man. The story is told from Brook’s perspective. Boxing gives him the chance to pay off his debts to society and puts him on the path to glory. Along the way are Nathaniel who might just capture his heart. But Brook may not be quite ready for the emotional vulnerability that a relationship with Nathaniel involves. There are many richly drawn secondary characters. Rose and Em were my favourites. This is one of my fave authors when it comes to gritty romantic queer fiction. As always, Aleks delivered another brilliant read.
Enjoyment 💖💖💖💖💖
Angst: 😫😫😫
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥
Enjoyment 💖💖💖💖💖
Angst: 😫😫😫
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥
4-tbr-next
August 18, 2020The new book "Mean Machine", is based on "Counterpunch" (the characters are the same), but was removed from "BelongingVerse" and has been completely re-written and about doubled in size. It's really no longer the same book, but seems Goodsreads insists on calling it the same and assumes it's still in the series.
August 3, 2020
I loved this story, great characters, beautiful writing and intricate character development. Aleksandr Voinov is very talented writer, his characters are unique and true and interesting. Brooklyn is such a powerful character with strong voice, and heart-wrenching journey from slavery to freedom to financial success and love. I felt pain and tears when Brooklyn suffered as well as joy when he overcame the obstacles and got his well deserved HEA. Highly recommend this book.
October 8, 2020
3.75 stars
October 21, 2020
3.5 Stars
November 22, 2020
One of my all time best. Love this writer. Just try it you will be hooked or maybe sucker punched?
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