Dare in the Dungeon

Dungeon #4

by S.M. Johnson

"I dare you to leap…" Kneeling for Thomas is like skirting the edge of a fatal fall, and Dare wonders what he's gotten himself into. Why can't he just be happy with Zach, the perfect gay boyfriend? Yeah, Zach forced him out of the closet, and that was uncomfortable, but that's nothing compared to what Thomas expects from him. Subbing for Roman was cookies and milk and kindergarten naptime compared to this. He wants to trust Thomas and stop pretending, but how much pain and humiliation can one Ivy League kid handle before he comes apart? Meanwhile, in Minnesota… Jeff continues to write hot, hot, hot D/s erotica while battling emotional trauma from the accident. It's easier to keep Jason as a buffer between himself and Roman than to face his fear of being tied up. He's tired of being broken, but how can he be fixed when he can't stay in bondage for more than fourteen minutes? 77,000 words. Gay fiction, BDSM, M/M, M/M/M, and a tiny bit of F/F/M

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, Menage, Romance, Contemporary, M M M, Erotica

227 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2014

About the author

SM Johnson hibernates in a conservative community of northern Wisconsin, where she writes characters who aren't exactly mainstream. Her stories are erotic, romantic and often somewhat unexpected. Visit her on blogspot to feed your hunger for darkly erotic fiction, messy lives, and things that go "naughty" in the night. http://www.smjbookteasers.blogspot.com

Most recent release: Aftermath, February 2017. Next release: Nervous, October 1, 2017. Find my books at Amazon, Smashwords, and other ebook retailers.

Thanks for being readers!

Find me on Facebook! SM Johnson writes
https://www.facebook.com/SMJohnsonWrites

PS - Goodreads insists on periods between the S and the M of SM Johnson. But, for the record, the periods are incorrect. And because of this, also for the record, some of my books DO NOT SHOW UP as my books, but as other S.M. Johnson's books.

Reviews

[Danny Tyran · Rating 4 out of 5]

“But there was something that screamed perfection when it was just the two of us, him and me, the Dom and the sub, and the power exchange between us.”

“There was nothing like a single-tailed whip to make you feel like a slave, to lower your status, to send nerve-endings burrowing deeper into flesh, crawling with fear.”

I enjoyed this novel, although less than the first book of this series.

We follow all the characters we visited in the previous books. Dare lives with Zach and they love each other. But Zach, even if a little kinky, can’t dominate Dare as well as a good dom can do, and he can’t provide BDSM to him. That's why Dare decided to call Master Thomas to the rescue. So Thomas and Zach will work together to dominate Dare. Jeff and Roman are still together and in love more than ever, especially since Jeff is coming back to normal, being his old self again. Vanessa thinks to go living, along with her baby, with another M/f couple. Jason wants to go back to college, so he’ll have to move too.

We are seeing Thomas, Zach and Dare, Roman and Jeff, and Vanessa and her new partners playing different BDSM scenes.

Everyone found Roman’s and Jeff’s fisting scene very hot. But I couldn’t help but think that if someone would take that long to fist me, I would become crazy before the scene is over. It's nice to put the needed time, especially if it's a first fisting, but around two hours... Whoa! My anus would be very sore before his fist is pushing inside my belly. In my humble opinion, it's too long, at least for a beginner. And a break in the heat of the moment won’t help. That allow the sphincters to tighten and we therefore need to start the fisting all over again.

I found fun the session with the tampon. Especially since I've already used them in the same way. OK It's not extremely easy to remove it once entered. The tampon swells a little. The anus can get a little inflamed because of the tampon’s ruggedness. But a clean rectum is not a vagina during menstruation. The tampon would not become soaked with liquid. So if we lubricate the anus when we put it inside and we re-lubricate before the withdrawal, there is no problem at all to remove it. So no reason to think about using forceps. lolllll

Someone told me not to love Thomas as much as she loves Roman. I think it's because Thomas isn’t as quick to express his appreciation to his subs and, at the beginning of the story, he clearly said he isn’t looking for a boyfriend. Most readers, especially women, are in search of romances and Thomas’ attitude doesn’t match their expectations. But I liked it. I don’t believe in the instant and easy love that is found in most romances. I don’t like when "Mine" and "I love you" rained down from the first pages and didn’t cease after that. I like that the dominant leaves his subs time to prove their worth before patting their back and falling in love with them. And that is what Thomas did. That's why I enjoyed it.

That may be because I'm a man, but Dare’s endless questions about his sexuality seem excessive and boring at the end. OK A man can also wonder about his gay and kinky sexuality, but say that it seems to me that it’d be less constant than in Dare’s unending and relentless questioning and worry.

The scene between Vanessa and her new BDSM play partners is short. I think the author understood that it isn’t her readers’ cup of tea, and she made sure to shorten their ordeal. ;)

I liked the fact that the MCs have evolved throughout this story. For me, there's no story if the characters don’t change at least a little for the better or the worse. This is the best way to know if our characters are realistic or not. If they progress throughout the story, they look more like true living beings. And that’s one of the greatest qualities of Ms Johnson; she is able to give life to her characters.

The open ending gives us hope that there will be a sequel. During this time, I’ll read The Story of Hawk and Boy that I bought a few days ago.

In summary, with a few little doubts on some BDSM sessions and Dare’s perpetual questioning, I loved this novella. It’s well written, as all S.M. Johnson’s stories. So I give it 4 stars.

See other reviews here: http://heartsonfirereviews.com/?tag=D...

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dare esta dando un paso hacia establecer una relacion con Nick y Thomas. Nick como su novio y Thomas como su Dom. Pero Thomas no es Roman, y el todavia quiere retener algo de control y que ser sumiso sea solo un juego. Con Nick apoyandolo, se adentra a un nuevo mundo, asi que cuando Thomas comienza a sacarlo de su zona de confort sabe que debe tomar una decision si quiere, realmente, ser feliz y liberar su lado sumiso. Podra hacerlo? Podra realmente entregarle su sumision a Thomas, cuando no pudo hacerlo con Roman? Y que pasara con Nick? Querra seguir siendo su novio cuando vea como es con un Dom?
Por otro lado tenemos a Roman y Jeff, que enfrentan un nuevo cambio en sus vidas. Primero, Roman ha estado presionando a Jeff para ayudarlo a superar sus miedos al bondange, con escenas cada vez mas intensas, pero podra Jeff superarlas? Roman podra realmente ayudarlo?. Despues, tienen que Jason fue aceptado en la Universidad, lejos de donde viven, asi que los va a dejar. Y por ultimo, tenemos a Vanessa, quien esta buscando un trabajo y un sitio donde vivir (quizas una relacion) fuera de su casa. Podran ellos volver a su relacion solo de dos? Como influira eso en su dinamica?

Este libro es basicamente de Dare, Nick y Thomas. Aprendemos mucho del pasado de Dare, y de sus miedos, pero todavia sabemos muy poco de Nick y Thomas. Hay muchisimas, pero muchisimas escenas eroticas, tanto de lo que viven los 2 trios, como "extractos" del libro de Jeff.
Lo que me gusto de este libro fue que realmente se enfocaron en Dare, me fastidio un poco que volvieran un par de veces a Jeff y su drama (que realmente despues de 4 libros, ya se pone muy fastidioso),para cambiarlo por el drama de Dare (que es mas nuevo, pero tambien se esta poniendo fastidioso).
Lo que menos me gusto fue Thomas, o quizas es que durante todos estos libros, senti que habia mas quimica entre Roman-Dare, que Roman-Jeff o Dare-Thomas, ese personaje todavia no me termina de gustar.
En fin, creo que voy a dejar a este serie hasta aqui, no creo que pueda leer otro libro con el mismo drama y la quimica forzada que tienen las parejas.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.

Boy, did I miss these guys. This series falls under the category of not-cheesy-to-me BDSM, and I am always thrilled to open a book and find that is the case. It’s like a breath of fresh air, truly.

There is a lot of struggle going on here, mostly with Dare, who is still fighting his need/want/craving for the domination aspects in his life and finding happiness and acceptance in that. He is happy with Zach, but Zach is just not able to be that extra something Dare longs for. Dare had a taste of it with Roman, and while he is happy that he made the right decision to leave that relationship, it doesn’t make it any easier for him. There are so many things going through Dare’s head. He has quite a few issues resulting from his upbringing, and while he is getting more comfortable with it, he still struggles a little with being out. He is so worried about what he wants or why he feels he can’t just be happy. All of this makes it very difficult for him to fully submit. Thankfully, they guys have gotten in touch with Thomas, who has agreed to help them out.

Thomas, or Tomas, is just as smoking hot as he was when we first saw him dominating Roman. He is so confident and just takes charge the second he enters a room. He is exactly what Dare needs, in lieu of Roman, and he works really hard to help Dare overcome his issues. There are a lot of “scenes” in this book, but they are all really well done and cover a wide range, from fisting to sounding, bondage, denial and quite a bit in between. He is the dominant for Dare, as well as the mentor for Zach, who is now finding it easier to fit into the more confident role.

We also get to see how Roman and Jeff are getting along. It is really great to see Jeff is recuperating and pushing past his own issues – new challenges brought on from his time in traction. Things are changing for them with the eventual loss of Vanessa and Jason moving on, but the foundation of them as a couple remains strong.

Vanessa is still living with them at this point, along with her baby. My least favorite part of this story is the scene with Vanessa on her first “date” with another couple. But it is over quickly and not very graphic. As with before, the worst part about it for me is that it takes away from my time with the guys.

What I really loved about this installment is the growth that occurs with each character. They all come to some level of realization and understanding about feelings and emotions, etc. I’ve loved Dare from the start, so I thoroughly enjoyed the bulk of this being about him, even though the others get plenty of page time as well.

This was well written and quite a page turner. I really didn’t want it to end, and I am again sending subliminal thoughts to Ms. Johnson that there will be more of these guys in the future, however long that takes.

[Chappy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focused on Dare and his relationship with Zach (such a sweetie) and their new Dom Thomas. I won't lie...Thomas can be kind of scary at times but he's just what Dare needs.

This instalment wasn't my favourite of the series but still really good. There's was a bit too much introspection on Dare's part.

The continuation of Roman's work with Jeff were awesome. He's been trying to let Jeff regain his submissive confidence with bondage exposure therapy. I've got to say that the fisting scene was one the best I've read.

I'm hoping this series continues...

[Melissa]

I bought this series in 2015 and never marked them in any way. Wow, not sure how that happened. So I am fixing that by updating all the books I own in this series. No rating because I can't really remember my feelings beyond "I liked it."

[J.C. Andrijeski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved all of these books, but I think this is probably my favorite book in the series to date (although I probably said that about the others, too, when they first came out, ha). I really liked and missed Dare from Book 1, and always felt his story wasn't over when he and Zach got together. I was REALLY (especially) looking forward to the story of Dare, Zach and Thomas, which was flirted with in the last book but never got a chance to develop...which, of course, makes sense, given how much that book covered and the fact that this storyline ended up filling a book of its own.

Dare in the Dungeon not only met, but exceeded my expectations with both things. I don't want to give away too much, but I loved the dynamics with Dare, Thomas and Zach, and I liked the little bits of connection and crossover with Roman and Jeff, even though the latter now live in a different state. SM Johnson does character SO WELL in her books and really gets into the psychology of the different players in a visceral (and believable) way. I always feel like they are three-dimensional people, which is just so awesome in this kind of book, and makes me miss them when I'm done reading.

So yes...read this. Read it if you're a fan of the previous books, or read it and then go back and see how the journey with the main players started. I think it would work just fine either way. :)

[F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 in this series concentrates most on Dare and Zach and their growing relationship. Zach has realized that he can't dominate Dare as Roman could. So when Master Thomas agrees to help out an agreement between the three is reached. Dare still has difficulty overcoming the guilt induced in him by his strait-laced, emotionless upbringing and there is much handwringing and internal dialogue. As such Dare comes across as very needy and at times I didn't like him.
So the loose threads are neatly tied in this book. There is a snapshot of Roman and Jeff with an awesome fisting scene. We see Jeff almost back to pre-accident mindset. Vanessa is also moving out and on with baby in tow to a new relationship.
Thus we see all the characters grow and enter new phases in their lifes.
While I did enjoy this book, the first still sticks in my mind as the best of the series.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its been a long time since I read book 3 in this series but it did not take long for it all to come back to me.
This featured Dare and his boyfriend, Zach as well as Dare's dom, Thomas.
We also saw i sights into Roman and Jeff and Jasons threesome and Vanessa starting off on the road to her threesome. This did involve about 10 pages of FFM which I skipped over.
The book itself was Dares BDSM journey and him learning to submit.
A hot fisting and sounding as well as an adventure with a tampon.
A nice ending to the series.

[Trio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 maybe 3.5 stars - kind of a strange book... I liked it, maybe I would have liked it more if I had read the three before it? It just seemed like a strange "BDSM-light" book. There were scenes I would have liked more of but then they just stopped. So it was in between a paperback harlequin romance and something darker, like wishing to be a Jack L. Pyke or a Lynn Kelling. Like if there had been a more hard-core plot the scenes would have been fine, but with the mushy soft plot the BDSM scenes didn't carry as much weight.

Again, if I had read the previous 3 books, maybe my impression might have been different, but this is my review so here it is.

[Jeremy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting and brilliant read

[Caroline Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE

4.5 Stars

This book had spunk and was much more like book 1 for me. It gets back to the nitty gritty of things and is all about pushing boundaries and limits, Dare’s in particular.

It seems once Dare embraced his submissive side as part of a triad with Roman and Jeff a plain old vanilla relationship was never going to be enough for him. He has fallen in love with Zach but there is a restlessness to him and although Zach was prepared to try and be everything he needed he was never going to be his Dom, it just wasn’t in him.

Thomas, or Master Thomas, agrees to dominate Dare and from the get go he means business. He pushes Dare at every opportunity and demands true submission from him. Thomas was a bit difficult to take to when he first encountered Dare with his whole ‘street’ thing going on, but when he stops the act he is actually everything that Dare needs, even if he is also terrifying. He is also hot as hell, his whole persona commands obedience.

Dare has spent his life confined and conforming to his family and how they thought he should act, being gay was never acceptable. He has this desperate need to submit but he can never quite turn his thoughts off. He struggles with accepting that it’s ok to be on his knees for another man, he is only just becoming comfortable with telling people he is gay, a fact that Zach has pushed him to accept. He is also still mourning the loss of his relationship with Roman and he reflects back to his time with him when he first starts seeing Thomas. His constant internal musings don’t allow him to ever clear his thoughts enough to embrace his submission and get the most out of it.

Zach, as Dare’s boyfriend, goes the extra mile in this story. He not only accepts the fact that Dare needs to submit but he quickly accepts that he can’t be everything and lets Thomas into their relationship without too much angst. The three of them together are perfect and fall into sync very quickly, with Zach there to protect Dare’s heart and provide unquestioning support.

We also get a glimpse into Roman and Jeff’s life where things are different but also better. Jeff has gone from being a 24/7 slave to almost a newbie as he recovers from his injuries and battles his demons. There is still the beautiful sub inside Jeff but Roman has to adapt to their new parameters. Jeff is his world so he has no problem with this and they come out stronger than ever. The fisting scene is just HOT! Jason is still a part of their relationship but it’s clear this isn’t a permanent arrangement. Vanessa is making strides in her own life slowly but surely.

This book felt like it was giving us closure, that the boys had all found their way in life and were healing from their various traumas. BUT it also felt as though it was left a little open ended and I for one hope we get to spend more time with them in the future. It would be great to see Dare and Jeff make amends and to hear more about the plans Thomas has to get Zach on his knees. 

[Kora Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As always, SM Johnson does not disappoint. In fact, she goes well past the extra mile. But then, that's always been her style, stretching the limits, exceeding the boundaries of comfort levels for the characters as well as the readers. Every scene was engrossing and intense, whether it be through a character's moving introspection or some erotically crazy physical event. The peeks we got to see of Roman and Jeff were amazing. Those two are still so on fire with one another. Man, Jeff is one lucky guy. And the evolution with Dare and Zach and Thomas were beyond spell-binding, beyond intoxicating. Never did I want a scene to end. Wanted more and more and then more. Dare holds such a special place in my heart, so sweet and crazy-endearing in his efforts to concur his fears and reach for what he wants, what he needs. It was moving in a way I've never been moved before. But elements of Zach and Thomas turned out just as intellectually stimulating! They both kept surprising me again and again! It was fan-freaking-tastic! And while the happily-ever-after I was hoping for didn't come to pass, I just can't find it in myself to be too unhappy about it b/c SM wrapped things up so perfectly in her own right that I can totally see why things needed to be the way they turned out. The whole thing was devastatingly intense (in the most wonderful of ways) and deliriously delicious. I love this author's mind like nothing else and will be keeping a watchful eye out for all her future projects. Brava once again, SM! Brava!"

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read April 16, 2015

TRUE BDSM~DON'T MISS THIS!!!

WOW! WOW! WOW! This fourth story in this series is incredible! This basically shows that Roman and Jeff are still happy and crazy in love. But this book is about shy, sweet Dare and loving, warm Zach who by accident at a party meet Thomas. Thomas is a dyed in the wool, hard core Dom, who at one time topped Roman. This story is the most intense journey of all the stories because there is so much that Dare is hiding behind. This is his journey to find himself. This story was magnificently written and very interesting, emotional and entertaining. Some of it was very hot, naughty, and down right dirty but that's what happens when you play in the dungeon with the Master. I loved this book. I thought it brought together all the open storylines nicely. All the main characters got their happy ending. If you are reading this review, take my advice, invest in this series. It is well worth the money!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS AFFORDABLE SERIES!!!

[Suze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intense installment in a great series.
It is Dare's turn to be turned inside out and remade. He and Zach are still in love, but given his history with Roman and flirting with the BDSM world, he is not fully content with their attempts at Dom and sub.
Enter Thomas, big badasss Dom! I enjoyed his addition. Zach definitely came to life as an inbetween - more confident in being a dom while Thomas is there to guide, but also being guided is kind of like a sub.
Dare definitely grew as a sub with Thomas and kept his love with Zach.
The ending gave the 'awwww' moment.

[Tina Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I dint even know what to begin...I'm heartbroken that the series is over yet very happy with the way it ended. The intertwined love stores, the back stores left me breathless, intrigued and hopefully that everyone might have a happy ending. I fell in love with these men, which is weird for the mere fact all the men are gay and involved with men only. But the love was so intense and satisfying it doesn't matter if it's men with men women with women man with woman love is love. A series I will be visiting again and again

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want it to end!

I'm glad Dare got his bliss in the end, the only reason I'm not throwing a tantrum right now is because I've just downloaded The story of Hawk and boy.. I hope you are going to give us more tales from the Dungeon in the future??

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

This book was so intense. The dynamic between Thomas and Dare was extreme. Roman and Jeff make an appearance as well but the main focus is all Dare and his head games. I hope there are more books focusing on Roman and Jeff as well as Dare. Maybe more from JJ Roman's book too!

[Debbie Bookers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enthralled

This has got to be the best series for a Dom/Sub book. The details felt like I was there. Thank you so very much for these. I will cherish and read again. In fact I'm sad they are over.

[Kelly Gedicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great finish to a great series!

[Tierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Sigh* it's over. I'm happy. Good book and loved the ending.