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Perfect Hands #1
Con mano firme
¿Cómo puede querer llamar al hijo de su mejor amigo Amo? ¿O peor aún... Papi?
Cornell está destrozado tras la muerte de su mejor amigo, Jonas. No solo física, sino emocionalmente. Se siente hundido por la pérdida, demasiado mayor, demasiado imperfecto, demasiado... vulnerable. Todo en su vida, duele.
Hasta Rhys.
Cuando Rhys le da órdenes, Cornell anhela obedecerlas.
Cuando Rhys le cuida, Cornell desea arrodillarse ante él.
Cuando Rhys es todo lo que había soñado en su vida, Cornell ansía llamarle Amo.
Y cuando Rhys le hace volar, Cornell asciende a alturas que nunca antes había alcanzado.
Rhys acaba de perder a su padre, pero no le ha perdido a él. Lleva años esperando tener esta oportunidad con Cornell, y ahora el hombre, por fin, está viviendo bajo su techo. Y Rhys sabe, que lo único que necesita para recuperarse, es a alguien que le guie con mano firme.
Con mano firme es una historia aislada y autoconclusiva. Pertenece al género de novela romántica gay, con la dinámica Papi, una brecha de edad, juegos D/s, y todas las emociones que puedas desear.
Cornell está destrozado tras la muerte de su mejor amigo, Jonas. No solo física, sino emocionalmente. Se siente hundido por la pérdida, demasiado mayor, demasiado imperfecto, demasiado... vulnerable. Todo en su vida, duele.
Hasta Rhys.
Cuando Rhys le da órdenes, Cornell anhela obedecerlas.
Cuando Rhys le cuida, Cornell desea arrodillarse ante él.
Cuando Rhys es todo lo que había soñado en su vida, Cornell ansía llamarle Amo.
Y cuando Rhys le hace volar, Cornell asciende a alturas que nunca antes había alcanzado.
Rhys acaba de perder a su padre, pero no le ha perdido a él. Lleva años esperando tener esta oportunidad con Cornell, y ahora el hombre, por fin, está viviendo bajo su techo. Y Rhys sabe, que lo único que necesita para recuperarse, es a alguien que le guie con mano firme.
Con mano firme es una historia aislada y autoconclusiva. Pertenece al género de novela romántica gay, con la dinámica Papi, una brecha de edad, juegos D/s, y todas las emociones que puedas desear.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2019
931 people are currently reading
1840 people want to read
About the author
Nora Phoenix
129 books2,201 followersWould you like the long or the short version of my bio?
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
The short? You got it.
I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.
How was that?
A little more detail? Gotcha.
I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.
My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.
Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.
Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...
Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/
You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 453 reviews
May 26, 2019
All the ways I was excited to read this book and all the ways I am disappointed ☹️. You don’t get very much books with the Dom being younger than the submissive, so Firm Hand had that going for it. Let’s just say I was bored for 60% of the book and unimpressed for the last 40%, while things did pick up most of it didn’t feel natural or flowed very well. The circumstances of their relationship is already a little controversial so all the added kink just threw me from the story.
Ugh, I wanted to like this so much but I did a lot of skimming at the end and just wanted it to end overall. This might be a case of me not the book so yeh.
DID NOT LIKE
Edit: The only two women in this story were such bitches and I really hated that. Like the sister didn’t have a caring bone in her body for a brother who almost died and was so hung up on old hurts. That really grind my gears, a bad representation overall.
Ugh, I wanted to like this so much but I did a lot of skimming at the end and just wanted it to end overall. This might be a case of me not the book so yeh.
DID NOT LIKE
Edit: The only two women in this story were such bitches and I really hated that. Like the sister didn’t have a caring bone in her body for a brother who almost died and was so hung up on old hurts. That really grind my gears, a bad representation overall.
November 8, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
Story: ⭐⭐⭐
MCs: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As I like reading a BDSM story from time to time, the Perfect Hands series by Nora Phoenix has been popping up in my recommendations for quite a while and when a challenge prompted me to pick up a book by a new-to-you author, I decided to go for Firm Hand .
The tragic accident that killed his best friend Jonas severely injured Cornell and while he is struggling to recover from his injuries, he is trying to come to terms with the fact his life as a sub is very likely to be over. Being an older, injured sub, he sees himself unable to fulfil a dom's wishes, but deep inside he is longing for someone to take care of him, to submit to.
Rhys, Jonas' son, is a physical therapist and when Cornell is about to leave the hospital and unable to return to his own home, Rhys is more than willing to offer his help to his father's best friend and to the man he has found himself intrigued by since years.
But Cornell is at first resisting to accept Rhys' help and Cornell has to asking himself if his deep desire to be taken care of is strong enough to overcome his stubbornness and inner resistance towards Rhys .
Will Cornell be able to let himself fall into Rhys' firm hands?
I really liked the premise of an older sub falling for a younger dom and Nora Phoenix did a fabulous job here. Adding into the equation that the dom in question, is the sub's best friend's son and things are getting complicated. Luckily, both the character and the relationship development felt very credible and I loved how Cornell and Rhys communicated with each other in order to overcome their insecurities.
Rhys was an amazing character. I loved how he was portrayed as a young and confident dom who knows hat he wants and is at the same time willing to acknowledge mistakes and responsible enough to work on them. The chemistry between Rhys and Cornell was extremely catchy and I loved how Cornell felt drawn in by Rhys, by his subtle commands uttered in a warm, authoritative voice. The different stages of their relationship felt very credible and this story was leaving a lot of room for deep feelings. Cornell and Rhys are grieving the loss of Jonas and it was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.
Nora Phoenix handled this difficult topic in an amazing way - loss, grief, recovery, care and love were combined in a beautiful mixture. And let's not forget about the steamy parts. Don't go into this book expecting a lot of dirty and kinky scenes – it is a rather light BDSM story leaving a lot of room for emotions and deep feelings. And it is nevertheless very hot.
What made me give this book 4 instead of 5 stars was probably the side-story involving Rhys' mother – I really didn't enjoy this part as I felt it underdeveloped and a bit too rushed to feel credible. And while the blurb of the book is promising a Daddy/Little relationship, this part of the story is only introduced at a very late stage of the book and I would have loved it to be a little bit more in the focus. I feel it would have needed a bit more build up to be perfect.
I liked that we had a chance to meet some of the next books' main characters as secondary characters in this story. While they were introduced and I was able to get a feeling for them, they didn't take up too much on-page time. I must admit that I am really looking forward to Ford's story, while I am not 100 % sure that the relationship between Raf and Brendan will be my cup of tea, but let's see!
This was everything he'd hoped for, everything he'd wanted, everything he'd dreamed of, wrapped into one man he'd yearned for for years. There was no one else for him, and there never would be.
Story: ⭐⭐⭐
MCs: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As I like reading a BDSM story from time to time, the Perfect Hands series by Nora Phoenix has been popping up in my recommendations for quite a while and when a challenge prompted me to pick up a book by a new-to-you author, I decided to go for Firm Hand .
The tragic accident that killed his best friend Jonas severely injured Cornell and while he is struggling to recover from his injuries, he is trying to come to terms with the fact his life as a sub is very likely to be over. Being an older, injured sub, he sees himself unable to fulfil a dom's wishes, but deep inside he is longing for someone to take care of him, to submit to.
Take care of him? Why did that sound so damn appealing? It spoke to that deep need inside of him, even bigger after months of struggling and being alone? How he longed to surrender right now, to have someone step in and take control for a bit.
Rhys, Jonas' son, is a physical therapist and when Cornell is about to leave the hospital and unable to return to his own home, Rhys is more than willing to offer his help to his father's best friend and to the man he has found himself intrigued by since years.
Rhys vowed he would take care of him. He owed that to his dad's best friend, right? And if he enjoyed having the man near for different reasons, why, that was just a bonus.
But Cornell is at first resisting to accept Rhys' help and Cornell has to asking himself if his deep desire to be taken care of is strong enough to overcome his stubbornness and inner resistance towards Rhys .
Will Cornell be able to let himself fall into Rhys' firm hands?
I really liked the premise of an older sub falling for a younger dom and Nora Phoenix did a fabulous job here. Adding into the equation that the dom in question, is the sub's best friend's son and things are getting complicated. Luckily, both the character and the relationship development felt very credible and I loved how Cornell and Rhys communicated with each other in order to overcome their insecurities.
Rhys was an amazing character. I loved how he was portrayed as a young and confident dom who knows hat he wants and is at the same time willing to acknowledge mistakes and responsible enough to work on them. The chemistry between Rhys and Cornell was extremely catchy and I loved how Cornell felt drawn in by Rhys, by his subtle commands uttered in a warm, authoritative voice. The different stages of their relationship felt very credible and this story was leaving a lot of room for deep feelings. Cornell and Rhys are grieving the loss of Jonas and it was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.
He let it come the tears and the aching sadness, the gaping emptiness inside him where Jonas had been. And Rhys held him, those strong, young arms surrounding him like a sea wall that protected him from the battering waves in king tide.
Nora Phoenix handled this difficult topic in an amazing way - loss, grief, recovery, care and love were combined in a beautiful mixture. And let's not forget about the steamy parts. Don't go into this book expecting a lot of dirty and kinky scenes – it is a rather light BDSM story leaving a lot of room for emotions and deep feelings. And it is nevertheless very hot.
What made me give this book 4 instead of 5 stars was probably the side-story involving Rhys' mother – I really didn't enjoy this part as I felt it underdeveloped and a bit too rushed to feel credible. And while the blurb of the book is promising a Daddy/Little relationship, this part of the story is only introduced at a very late stage of the book and I would have loved it to be a little bit more in the focus. I feel it would have needed a bit more build up to be perfect.
I liked that we had a chance to meet some of the next books' main characters as secondary characters in this story. While they were introduced and I was able to get a feeling for them, they didn't take up too much on-page time. I must admit that I am really looking forward to Ford's story, while I am not 100 % sure that the relationship between Raf and Brendan will be my cup of tea, but let's see!
This was everything he'd hoped for, everything he'd wanted, everything he'd dreamed of, wrapped into one man he'd yearned for for years. There was no one else for him, and there never would be.
May 27, 2019
This is a tough review to write. There were parts I really liked and at first I was sure this would be a winner. But in the second half I found myself getting impatient and wanting to finish this book faster. It’s never a good sign when I start skimming.
What I liked:
- The older boy with the younger daddy.
- The age gap itself. I always love an age gap.
- The transition from friends to more.
What I liked less:
- I really wanted them to figure out sooner that they had a boy/Daddy dynamic, instead of simply a D/s one. Because for most of this book this felt like a ‘regular’ BDSM book. And while I used to love BDSM, I’m now more of a daddy kink girl. And it took these guys almost the entire book to get there.
- I was bored in the second half. Mostly because of my previous point. Too much BDSM. It was very light BDSM, but the dynamics were still that of a Dom and his sub.
- The mom Dom villain was not fleshed out enough. Now she just came across as ridiculous.
So while this had promise, I’m not sure it delivered in the end.
I’m going with 3 stars, because it did have some good parts.
What I liked:
- The older boy with the younger daddy.
- The age gap itself. I always love an age gap.
- The transition from friends to more.
What I liked less:
- I really wanted them to figure out sooner that they had a boy/Daddy dynamic, instead of simply a D/s one. Because for most of this book this felt like a ‘regular’ BDSM book. And while I used to love BDSM, I’m now more of a daddy kink girl. And it took these guys almost the entire book to get there.
- I was bored in the second half. Mostly because of my previous point. Too much BDSM. It was very light BDSM, but the dynamics were still that of a Dom and his sub.
- The mom Dom villain was not fleshed out enough. Now she just came across as ridiculous.
So while this had promise, I’m not sure it delivered in the end.
I’m going with 3 stars, because it did have some good parts.
June 23, 2022
This started extremely strong. You got a quick taste of the dynamics between Cornell and Jonas. Two subs who on paper are best friends but in reality so much more. Soul mates.
Far too quickly it’s all torn away! I cried, god did I cry for Cornell’s loss. Everything he endured as he recovered from not only his heartbreak but his awful injuries.
Then it felt like the story lost steam when Rhys, Jonas’ son came into the picture. The plot became awkward and kinda jerky. There was a lot of confusion, misunderstandings and back and forth.
This probably makes me sound like an asshole but Rhys wanting Cornell as his sub makes me think of those lovely people that only adopt senior cats and dogs. Not that I’m against it, on the contrary, just found it similar.
Once the odd duo got their footing the story slowly but surely came back together. I feel like we didn’t really hit our stride again until they became intimate outside of a scene. That’s when we really got a taste of a D/s relationship. Before that the scenes felt pretty rote and impersonal.
Good grief! Cassie is a grade A bitch! I’m all for the drama, I am loving Rhys standing his ground. But I’d like to wring her damn neck!
My biggest complaint is the heavy amount of inner monologue. I like emotional books but I prefer those emotions between others, not just in your head.
Otherwise I enjoyed the chemistry, the steady relationship growth and the overall steam was great. The kink was somewhat on the light side but it added just enough interest to their story.
I really liked the epilogue, the closing of that final chapter with Jonas so they could start anew. It made my heart ache and then filled it with hope.
Far too quickly it’s all torn away! I cried, god did I cry for Cornell’s loss. Everything he endured as he recovered from not only his heartbreak but his awful injuries.
Then it felt like the story lost steam when Rhys, Jonas’ son came into the picture. The plot became awkward and kinda jerky. There was a lot of confusion, misunderstandings and back and forth.
This probably makes me sound like an asshole but Rhys wanting Cornell as his sub makes me think of those lovely people that only adopt senior cats and dogs. Not that I’m against it, on the contrary, just found it similar.
Once the odd duo got their footing the story slowly but surely came back together. I feel like we didn’t really hit our stride again until they became intimate outside of a scene. That’s when we really got a taste of a D/s relationship. Before that the scenes felt pretty rote and impersonal.
Good grief! Cassie is a grade A bitch! I’m all for the drama, I am loving Rhys standing his ground. But I’d like to wring her damn neck!
My biggest complaint is the heavy amount of inner monologue. I like emotional books but I prefer those emotions between others, not just in your head.
Otherwise I enjoyed the chemistry, the steady relationship growth and the overall steam was great. The kink was somewhat on the light side but it added just enough interest to their story.
I really liked the epilogue, the closing of that final chapter with Jonas so they could start anew. It made my heart ache and then filled it with hope.
May 21, 2019
2.5 stars
I guess it had to happen at some point. This was the first Nora Phoenix book that I just didn't fully connect with.
Everything in the blurb screamed for me to grab it. Age gap, older sub with a younger Dom, kink, hurt-comfort, it should have been a huge win. Unfortunately, I found the story to be slow, with repetitive internal monologing and lacking the spark that would have had me really feeling for these men. There were times where I was bored to the point of considering giving up, but the hope was there that once they were together, things would click. Once they started to actually explore their dynamics within a relationship, things did get better, but I still didn't feel enough chemistry between them, especially with the speed that the relationship moved at that point. In fact, I was more intrigued with the Daddy/boy relationship in the brief times we saw a couple of Rhys's friends.
Another thing that I was disappointed in was the fact that there were only two female characters, Rhys's mom and Cornell's sister, and both of them were mean, nasty, bitches. I could have handled Rhys's mom, but there was no point to the sister's presence when a mere mention that Rhys didn't get along would have worked just as well.
On the positive side, I did like Rhys as a younger Dom. He was caring, willing to seek out assistance when he made a mistake or was unsure and really did go for what he wanted.
Suffice to say, this book and I just didn't click. A very rare miss for me with this author.
I guess it had to happen at some point. This was the first Nora Phoenix book that I just didn't fully connect with.
Everything in the blurb screamed for me to grab it. Age gap, older sub with a younger Dom, kink, hurt-comfort, it should have been a huge win. Unfortunately, I found the story to be slow, with repetitive internal monologing and lacking the spark that would have had me really feeling for these men. There were times where I was bored to the point of considering giving up, but the hope was there that once they were together, things would click. Once they started to actually explore their dynamics within a relationship, things did get better, but I still didn't feel enough chemistry between them, especially with the speed that the relationship moved at that point. In fact, I was more intrigued with the Daddy/boy relationship in the brief times we saw a couple of Rhys's friends.
Another thing that I was disappointed in was the fact that there were only two female characters, Rhys's mom and Cornell's sister, and both of them were mean, nasty, bitches. I could have handled Rhys's mom, but there was no point to the sister's presence when a mere mention that Rhys didn't get along would have worked just as well.
On the positive side, I did like Rhys as a younger Dom. He was caring, willing to seek out assistance when he made a mistake or was unsure and really did go for what he wanted.
Suffice to say, this book and I just didn't click. A very rare miss for me with this author.
January 3, 2021
4.5 Stars
Y'all, you NEED to read Firm Hand!
While this does feature a D/s relationship, don't go in expecting non-stop kinky sex and no plot. This has the feels and blew me away with how much I f*cking loved it. The beginning does have quite a bit of grief and shows how Rhys and Cornell cope when Jonas, Rhys' father and Cornell's best friend, passes away in an accident that leaves Cornell badly injured. (Not a spoiler, it happens right at the beginning). This is comfort/hurt beautifully done as you see the two men progress from a "best friend's son" feelings to more while Rhys helps Cornell recover from his injuries, both physically and emotionally. A slow burn with UST, prepare yourself for a journey that is well worth the wait when you arrive to the steamy parts.
This does have a 22 year age gap which I was okay with, but could understandably bother some people. Rhys is 23 and Cornell is 45, so everyone is definitely legal here. I loved that it was different in the fact that the sub was Cornell, who was much older than the Dom. It was a refreshing change from your run of the mill BDSM novel and I loved that we got to see Cornell's insecurities over feeling "old" and not worthy of Rhys' attention. It was also incredibly realistic in how both the BDSM and Cornell's age was portrayed. Cornell acted 45, had an aging body, and didn't have the energy or stamina of a guy in his 20s. The BDSM was written with a "real life" feel and focused on trust and respect, not just going down a checklist of kinky sex. I thought the pace of their relationship, both emotionally and sexually, was perfectly done and paced appropriately. I knew it was BDSM going in but was wonderfully surprised by how downright kinky it turned out to be once the steam started happening. It does turn into Daddy kink but does not venture into age play. Other kinks explored: . This has some of the best sex scenes I've ever read and I may or may not have racked up a f*ck ton of highlights. If dirty talk and humiliation are your jam, you will absolutely love this!
I was | | close to giving this 5 stars but one part of the story didn't sit well with me, even though I understood why Cornell felt that way. This is definitely a spoiler but if you're iffy, you may want to read it. . Other than that, the ending was a bit lackluster for me, although happy and an HFN. Highly recommended!
Standalone - Other books within series:
Book 1: Firm Hand → 4.5 Stars
Book 2: Gentle Hand → 3 Stars
Book 3: Slow Hand → 3 Stars
Book 4: Healing Hand
Y'all, you NEED to read Firm Hand!
While this does feature a D/s relationship, don't go in expecting non-stop kinky sex and no plot. This has the feels and blew me away with how much I f*cking loved it. The beginning does have quite a bit of grief and shows how Rhys and Cornell cope when Jonas, Rhys' father and Cornell's best friend, passes away in an accident that leaves Cornell badly injured. (Not a spoiler, it happens right at the beginning). This is comfort/hurt beautifully done as you see the two men progress from a "best friend's son" feelings to more while Rhys helps Cornell recover from his injuries, both physically and emotionally. A slow burn with UST, prepare yourself for a journey that is well worth the wait when you arrive to the steamy parts.
This does have a 22 year age gap which I was okay with, but could understandably bother some people. Rhys is 23 and Cornell is 45, so everyone is definitely legal here. I loved that it was different in the fact that the sub was Cornell, who was much older than the Dom. It was a refreshing change from your run of the mill BDSM novel and I loved that we got to see Cornell's insecurities over feeling "old" and not worthy of Rhys' attention. It was also incredibly realistic in how both the BDSM and Cornell's age was portrayed. Cornell acted 45, had an aging body, and didn't have the energy or stamina of a guy in his 20s. The BDSM was written with a "real life" feel and focused on trust and respect, not just going down a checklist of kinky sex. I thought the pace of their relationship, both emotionally and sexually, was perfectly done and paced appropriately. I knew it was BDSM going in but was wonderfully surprised by how downright kinky it turned out to be once the steam started happening. It does turn into Daddy kink but does not venture into age play. Other kinks explored: . This has some of the best sex scenes I've ever read and I may or may not have racked up a f*ck ton of highlights. If dirty talk and humiliation are your jam, you will absolutely love this!
I was | | close to giving this 5 stars but one part of the story didn't sit well with me, even though I understood why Cornell felt that way. This is definitely a spoiler but if you're iffy, you may want to read it. . Other than that, the ending was a bit lackluster for me, although happy and an HFN. Highly recommended!
Standalone - Other books within series:
Book 1: Firm Hand → 4.5 Stars
Book 2: Gentle Hand → 3 Stars
Book 3: Slow Hand → 3 Stars
Book 4: Healing Hand
May 27, 2019
If you're looking for a crazysexyhot may/december romance, where the older guy falls for his best friend's son, where kink is involved, you have recovery from an accident so hurt/comfort and learning to live with some adjustments for pain/disability is a factor, AND as a cherry on top, there is reverse!Daddy kink - well, Firm Hand is the PERFECT story for you.
Rhys might only be in his mid-twenties, but he knows who he is - a dom, and what he wants - Cornell. I absolutely loved Rhys stepping in and taking care of Cornell after the accident that claimed Rhys' father and Cornell's best friend. I love that they fall into the beginnings of a relationship fairly easily, and with the help from friends and some great communication between the two of them, are able to pursue a relationship that they both want. I also really enjoyed the Daddy-aspect in this one - once that word is uttered, it's like both Rhys and Cornell realize that is what they need to make this relationship whole.
I might have enjoyed a bit more conflict in the second half of the story - like, Rhys' mother shows up rather than just being an annoyance over the phone, or something else would happen to really push things and move the plot along, but I just wanted to see these two figure things out and be happy, so I enjoyed the ride.
I'm really enjoying everything I read from Nora Phoenix, can't wait to see what she thinks up next!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rhys might only be in his mid-twenties, but he knows who he is - a dom, and what he wants - Cornell. I absolutely loved Rhys stepping in and taking care of Cornell after the accident that claimed Rhys' father and Cornell's best friend. I love that they fall into the beginnings of a relationship fairly easily, and with the help from friends and some great communication between the two of them, are able to pursue a relationship that they both want. I also really enjoyed the Daddy-aspect in this one - once that word is uttered, it's like both Rhys and Cornell realize that is what they need to make this relationship whole.
I might have enjoyed a bit more conflict in the second half of the story - like, Rhys' mother shows up rather than just being an annoyance over the phone, or something else would happen to really push things and move the plot along, but I just wanted to see these two figure things out and be happy, so I enjoyed the ride.
I'm really enjoying everything I read from Nora Phoenix, can't wait to see what she thinks up next!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2019
4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the wake of tragedy, love shines bright.
Rhys just lost his father. Cornell just lost his soul mate. When Jonas died, Cornell lost his best friend. Cornell is seriously injured in the wreck that took his best friend and can’t be alone. Rhys, who is Jonas’s son, offers to have him move into his home so he can help with his physical therapy and make sure nothing happens to further his injuries. What Cornell doesn’t know if that not only is Rhys a Dom, but he is determined to make Cornell his.
I loved the slow build. Rhys didn’t rush or push Cornell into anything. Rhys is 20 years his junior but he guides Cornell effortlessly. He is very mature and knows when to ask for help (which I loved) or advise when unsure of how to proceed.
Once the two men finally figured out who they were to each other, it all clicked into place.
Highly recommend this if you’re in the mood for some love, low angst (at least between the two MCs) and a whole lotta hot kink thrown in.
In the wake of tragedy, love shines bright.
Rhys just lost his father. Cornell just lost his soul mate. When Jonas died, Cornell lost his best friend. Cornell is seriously injured in the wreck that took his best friend and can’t be alone. Rhys, who is Jonas’s son, offers to have him move into his home so he can help with his physical therapy and make sure nothing happens to further his injuries. What Cornell doesn’t know if that not only is Rhys a Dom, but he is determined to make Cornell his.
I loved the slow build. Rhys didn’t rush or push Cornell into anything. Rhys is 20 years his junior but he guides Cornell effortlessly. He is very mature and knows when to ask for help (which I loved) or advise when unsure of how to proceed.
Once the two men finally figured out who they were to each other, it all clicked into place.
Highly recommend this if you’re in the mood for some love, low angst (at least between the two MCs) and a whole lotta hot kink thrown in.
August 6, 2020
This book was one incredible experience from start to finish! Not just beautifully written and wonderfully paced the author took her time till her two MCs gotten under my skin to the point where it felt like I was living this book with them. Let me first say that after having read a few other Daddy/boy books where the Daddy is younger than their boys and identifying with that as well as the dynamic resonating for me on multiple levels so reading this book was very personal. That noted this book would only work for me if it read authentically and the pace of the couple coming together made sense. Thanks to the authors talent she succeeded and more! The last 25% totally wrecked me! OMG! So much INTENSE emotion and so beautifully written! I think this is hands down the best m/m romance I have read this year! And I have read 190 books so far & 90% were m/m!
April 13, 2025
Okay so Firm Hand was definitely surprised me a bit.I went in because I love me a younger Dom/older sub dynamic, and this book delivers on that front for sure.
Rhys being the steady, confident, grounded Dom while Cornell was this older guy just absolutely unraveling? Yes, please. I live for the emotional unraveling of a tightly wound sub, and this book delivered that in spades. Watching Cornell slowly learn to trust and lean into the care offered was so satisfying. And their dynamic was all in all really sweet, patient, and surprisingly emotional at times.
The kink was soft but meaningful , there was lots of caretaking, gentle structure, and that trust-building kind of intimacy that just hits when it’s done well. That said, the blurb really gave me the vibe this was going to a daddy/little dynamic at some point … but honestly? I think I would’ve liked it more if it hadn’t leaned in that direction. It’s not fully age play or anything extreme, but it tiptoes just enough into that space where I felt like it distracted from what was already a solid, intimate D/s connection.
Don’t get me wrong I enjoy daddy/little reads a lot but in this book it was kind of unnecessary for me when we already had such a solid D/s ground ..
Still, I loved how it handled consent and healing — the emotional arc for Cornell was actually really touching. It’s not the kind of book you read for just steam (though there’s some), it’s more about rebuilding yourself and finding safety in someone else’s hands. If you’re into quiet strength, younger Doms, and that whole “I’ve got you” energy, this is one to check out.
⭐️3,5
Rhys being the steady, confident, grounded Dom while Cornell was this older guy just absolutely unraveling? Yes, please. I live for the emotional unraveling of a tightly wound sub, and this book delivered that in spades. Watching Cornell slowly learn to trust and lean into the care offered was so satisfying. And their dynamic was all in all really sweet, patient, and surprisingly emotional at times.
The kink was soft but meaningful , there was lots of caretaking, gentle structure, and that trust-building kind of intimacy that just hits when it’s done well. That said, the blurb really gave me the vibe this was going to a daddy/little dynamic at some point … but honestly? I think I would’ve liked it more if it hadn’t leaned in that direction. It’s not fully age play or anything extreme, but it tiptoes just enough into that space where I felt like it distracted from what was already a solid, intimate D/s connection.
Don’t get me wrong I enjoy daddy/little reads a lot but in this book it was kind of unnecessary for me when we already had such a solid D/s ground ..
Still, I loved how it handled consent and healing — the emotional arc for Cornell was actually really touching. It’s not the kind of book you read for just steam (though there’s some), it’s more about rebuilding yourself and finding safety in someone else’s hands. If you’re into quiet strength, younger Doms, and that whole “I’ve got you” energy, this is one to check out.
⭐️3,5
July 12, 2019
**** An accident on an icy road brings us to our story.
Three months later, Lawyer, Cornell has survived with crushed legs, gained strength in rehab, but his best friend, Jonas died. Now, with his rehabilitation ending,
Jonas's son, Rhys, a Physical Therapist,
offers Cornell a place to live, be taken care of, and given help to move forward.
Cornell gets to continue to improve
and Rhys gets to make his intentions known, eventually.
Rhys is 23, a trained Dom and has wanted submissive Cornell, 45, for many years. They each have turmoil with their senario, because Cornell is grieving in addition to the limited physical freedom he lost. He's angry. Rhys is also grieving, but wants to delve into being the best he can be for Cornell. We watch the struggles, the successes, and the realizations they make.
I loved the older/younger and we see a short display of Rhys's friends, Ry and Brendon, who live a Daddy/little lifestyle.
Wonderfully written with caring, deep thoughts, a bit long in explanations, but there is an intense relationship to benefit both men.
ENJOY !
=======
Three months later, Lawyer, Cornell has survived with crushed legs, gained strength in rehab, but his best friend, Jonas died. Now, with his rehabilitation ending,
Jonas's son, Rhys, a Physical Therapist,
offers Cornell a place to live, be taken care of, and given help to move forward.
Cornell gets to continue to improve
and Rhys gets to make his intentions known, eventually.
Rhys is 23, a trained Dom and has wanted submissive Cornell, 45, for many years. They each have turmoil with their senario, because Cornell is grieving in addition to the limited physical freedom he lost. He's angry. Rhys is also grieving, but wants to delve into being the best he can be for Cornell. We watch the struggles, the successes, and the realizations they make.
I loved the older/younger and we see a short display of Rhys's friends, Ry and Brendon, who live a Daddy/little lifestyle.
Wonderfully written with caring, deep thoughts, a bit long in explanations, but there is an intense relationship to benefit both men.
ENJOY !
=======
July 1, 2019
Weird. I'm obviously not into these types of books. Never can get into them. And this one is weirder than usual since it's a sub in his 40s with a Dom in his 20s. Just so weird...
But the 2 stars isn't for the weirdness. It's the lack of real connection and plot.
But the 2 stars isn't for the weirdness. It's the lack of real connection and plot.
October 6, 2019
DNF @ 41%
Oh dear, this made me so uncomfortable.
Content warnings include: car accident leading to death and injury that leads to disability, BDSM and kink (D/s, sensory play, supposedly reverse daddy kink but the part that I read had none of that), unconsensual D/s, unconsensual aided masturbation, mentions of incestuous D/s relationship between father and son condoned by the main characters.
This started out a bit awkward. There is no explanation as to what Cornell and Rhys's relationship is like other than Rhys being Cornell's best friend's son and Cornell being Rhys's godfather. I had no idea if they were friendly, only talked during awkward christmas phonecalls, or if Cornell was more friend or uncle or stranger to Rhys.
This missing background made it all a bit weird and hard to judge, but ultimately it didn't matter because the discomfort makes it irrelevant.
The writing was okay for the most part, but I wasn't really engaged. I didn't find myself wanting to read on, but it would have been okay if not for it making me so uncomfortable.
(After this it gets a bit spoiler-y.)
After the death of Jonas, Rhys's dad and Cornell's best friend, a severely injured Cornell stays with trained physical therapist Rhys to recuperate. Cornell is a sub and occasionally scened with Jonas, who is also a sub. Rhys is a Dom and knows about Cornell, but Cornell doesn't know about Rhys. Rhys has also had the hots for Cornell for a while now (this isn't explicitly stated but I got the impression?) and he..... wants to use this opportunity to both get closer to Cornell and "prove to him he's all grown up and not a kid anymore."
Which already raises the first few flags. Rhys is 23 and Cornell is 45, which is a considerable age gap. Even with the background of Cornell being Rhys's godfather and essentially watching him grow up could be overcome, but Rhys feeling the need to "prove" himself to be mature is decidedly NOT a good start to that.
Furthermore, Rhys's train of thought from "Cornell is grieving my dad and freshly disabled after the accident" to "I can invite him to stay with me and care for him to get closer to him so we can scene together" is just plain creepy.
But it gets even worse. Rhys, who is very much aware of Cornell being a sub, uses that knowledge and his "Dom ways" on an unknowing Cornell from the very beginning, without Cornell's consent.
This behaviour is called out by more than one person and it is handled as an issue, yet Rhys doesn't seem to realize what he did was wrong at all and objects when people tell him he is essentially manipulating Cornell, that he is on the slippery slope to abusing him, all because "I would never hurt him, I'm doing this to help him!"
And even when people tell Rhys to stop, he doesn't really stop and it's kind of brushed off and ultimately has barely any consequences.
Consent and communication keeps to be an issue in this book in other context's too. In one scene Rhys aids a sleeping Cornell in having an orgasm, and even through indirect touching that is creepy as fuck, and, once again, he didn't have Cornell's consent.
But this stuff isn't just coming from Rhys's direction.
Cornell, too, behaves uncomfortably, acting like Rhys betrayed him by not telling him earlier that he's a Dom. Should Rhys have told him? Yes, he should have as soon as he deliberately leaned on Cornell's instincts as a sub. But before that? No??? Why would he tell his godfather about his sexual perferences???? Rhys had every right not to tell Cornell, and yet Cornell is upset about not knowing way earlier before the accident. Which is weird in itself because he is mortified about Rhys knowing he's a sub, and then continuous being uncomfortable with talking about Jonas's and his own sex life with Rhys.
Consent issues aside, when I got to the first scene where they did scene with explicit consent.... even that felt off to me. Yes, consent is there, and yes, they use safewords, but boundaries? Nope, no communication at all, and minutes before that scene they were still talking about how Rhys refuses to acknowledge he was manipulating Cornell and Cornell was mad at him. Not the best setup for a scene????
What finally tipped this over the edge was when Cornell thinks about what other people would think about Rhys domming him, specifically what Jonas would think. In a completely random and unfitting example he thinks back to a couple he knows, an older Dom and younger sub who were completely in synch which each other.... who turned out to be father and son. He then goes on about how they were kicked out of multiple BDSM clubs for that, but that he and Jonas agreed they were both consenting adults and supported their relationship.
I..... NO????? WHAT THE FUCK???? Consenting adults is all well and good but PARENTS ALWAYS HOLD AN INHERENT POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER THEIR CHILDREN????? WHAT THE HELL, SUCH A RELATIONSHIP IS NOT OK, ESPECIALLY NOT A D/s ONE??? LIKE, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT????
So not only was that... THAT, it was so random and unfitting and didn't apply to Cornell's and Rhys's situation at all. It further also raises the suspicion that Jonas and Rhys might have scened together and I just... No. Nope. Not gonna go there. That's it for me. It's over. Bye.
I was bored and uncomfortable before, but that tipped the scale for me.
Firm Hand failed to engage me and was continuously creepy in it's portrayal of consent and kink and made me extremely uncomfortable.
I received an ARC & reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Oh dear, this made me so uncomfortable.
Content warnings include: car accident leading to death and injury that leads to disability, BDSM and kink (D/s, sensory play, supposedly reverse daddy kink but the part that I read had none of that), unconsensual D/s, unconsensual aided masturbation, mentions of incestuous D/s relationship between father and son condoned by the main characters.
This started out a bit awkward. There is no explanation as to what Cornell and Rhys's relationship is like other than Rhys being Cornell's best friend's son and Cornell being Rhys's godfather. I had no idea if they were friendly, only talked during awkward christmas phonecalls, or if Cornell was more friend or uncle or stranger to Rhys.
This missing background made it all a bit weird and hard to judge, but ultimately it didn't matter because the discomfort makes it irrelevant.
The writing was okay for the most part, but I wasn't really engaged. I didn't find myself wanting to read on, but it would have been okay if not for it making me so uncomfortable.
(After this it gets a bit spoiler-y.)
After the death of Jonas, Rhys's dad and Cornell's best friend, a severely injured Cornell stays with trained physical therapist Rhys to recuperate. Cornell is a sub and occasionally scened with Jonas, who is also a sub. Rhys is a Dom and knows about Cornell, but Cornell doesn't know about Rhys. Rhys has also had the hots for Cornell for a while now (this isn't explicitly stated but I got the impression?) and he..... wants to use this opportunity to both get closer to Cornell and "prove to him he's all grown up and not a kid anymore."
Which already raises the first few flags. Rhys is 23 and Cornell is 45, which is a considerable age gap. Even with the background of Cornell being Rhys's godfather and essentially watching him grow up could be overcome, but Rhys feeling the need to "prove" himself to be mature is decidedly NOT a good start to that.
Furthermore, Rhys's train of thought from "Cornell is grieving my dad and freshly disabled after the accident" to "I can invite him to stay with me and care for him to get closer to him so we can scene together" is just plain creepy.
But it gets even worse. Rhys, who is very much aware of Cornell being a sub, uses that knowledge and his "Dom ways" on an unknowing Cornell from the very beginning, without Cornell's consent.
This behaviour is called out by more than one person and it is handled as an issue, yet Rhys doesn't seem to realize what he did was wrong at all and objects when people tell him he is essentially manipulating Cornell, that he is on the slippery slope to abusing him, all because "I would never hurt him, I'm doing this to help him!"
And even when people tell Rhys to stop, he doesn't really stop and it's kind of brushed off and ultimately has barely any consequences.
Consent and communication keeps to be an issue in this book in other context's too. In one scene Rhys aids a sleeping Cornell in having an orgasm, and even through indirect touching that is creepy as fuck, and, once again, he didn't have Cornell's consent.
But this stuff isn't just coming from Rhys's direction.
Cornell, too, behaves uncomfortably, acting like Rhys betrayed him by not telling him earlier that he's a Dom. Should Rhys have told him? Yes, he should have as soon as he deliberately leaned on Cornell's instincts as a sub. But before that? No??? Why would he tell his godfather about his sexual perferences???? Rhys had every right not to tell Cornell, and yet Cornell is upset about not knowing way earlier before the accident. Which is weird in itself because he is mortified about Rhys knowing he's a sub, and then continuous being uncomfortable with talking about Jonas's and his own sex life with Rhys.
Consent issues aside, when I got to the first scene where they did scene with explicit consent.... even that felt off to me. Yes, consent is there, and yes, they use safewords, but boundaries? Nope, no communication at all, and minutes before that scene they were still talking about how Rhys refuses to acknowledge he was manipulating Cornell and Cornell was mad at him. Not the best setup for a scene????
What finally tipped this over the edge was when Cornell thinks about what other people would think about Rhys domming him, specifically what Jonas would think. In a completely random and unfitting example he thinks back to a couple he knows, an older Dom and younger sub who were completely in synch which each other.... who turned out to be father and son. He then goes on about how they were kicked out of multiple BDSM clubs for that, but that he and Jonas agreed they were both consenting adults and supported their relationship.
I..... NO????? WHAT THE FUCK???? Consenting adults is all well and good but PARENTS ALWAYS HOLD AN INHERENT POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER THEIR CHILDREN????? WHAT THE HELL, SUCH A RELATIONSHIP IS NOT OK, ESPECIALLY NOT A D/s ONE??? LIKE, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT????
So not only was that... THAT, it was so random and unfitting and didn't apply to Cornell's and Rhys's situation at all. It further also raises the suspicion that Jonas and Rhys might have scened together and I just... No. Nope. Not gonna go there. That's it for me. It's over. Bye.
I was bored and uncomfortable before, but that tipped the scale for me.
Firm Hand failed to engage me and was continuously creepy in it's portrayal of consent and kink and made me extremely uncomfortable.
I received an ARC & reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
April 10, 2020
Reread 4/10/2020 this reread did not go well. I enjoyed this much less this time around. Quite a few things that I guess I glossed over the first time really rubbed me wrong this time. So I’m going with 2.5 stars 😕
—————
I have a sort of love/hate thing going with this book. I ADORED the first 75% of this book. I really liked Rhys doing all that he could to take care of Cornell. I ALSO really liked having a younger Dom with an older sub . This isn't the first time I've read that dynamic, but it is the first one that I enjoyed. What I didn't like is how things kind of went off the rails (for me) towards the end. I felt like some of the decisions made were a bit... off? I don't know. They didn't feel realistic to me. I don't care how long they'd known each, their relationship was new. I think a bit more time was needed for how OTT things got (again, to me).
so 5* for the first 75%
2.5* for 75-90%
I'm going with 4 stars even though I wasn't thrilled with how things went down at the end. It didn't RUIN it for me. I just wish it had been handled differently.
—————
I have a sort of love/hate thing going with this book. I ADORED the first 75% of this book. I really liked Rhys doing all that he could to take care of Cornell. I ALSO really liked having a younger Dom with an older sub . This isn't the first time I've read that dynamic, but it is the first one that I enjoyed. What I didn't like is how things kind of went off the rails (for me) towards the end. I felt like some of the decisions made were a bit... off? I don't know. They didn't feel realistic to me. I don't care how long they'd known each, their relationship was new. I think a bit more time was needed for how OTT things got (again, to me).
so 5* for the first 75%
2.5* for 75-90%
I'm going with 4 stars even though I wasn't thrilled with how things went down at the end. It didn't RUIN it for me. I just wish it had been handled differently.
September 21, 2020
I enjoyed the narration quite a bit. I still had the issues with the book that I did when I originally read this.
I loved the younger Dom/older sub, BUT I would have felt better about the Daddy portion if it had been introduced much earlier than it was.
I was not a fan of the melodrama between Rhys and his mother. It really wasn’t a necessary element.
By the end of the book, it felt like Daddy kink 101. Almost instructional in tone.
Overall, I still liked this very much. I can’t wait to get audio for the next pairing.
I loved the younger Dom/older sub, BUT I would have felt better about the Daddy portion if it had been introduced much earlier than it was.
I was not a fan of the melodrama between Rhys and his mother. It really wasn’t a necessary element.
By the end of the book, it felt like Daddy kink 101. Almost instructional in tone.
Overall, I still liked this very much. I can’t wait to get audio for the next pairing.
April 19, 2023
I have bought and read this entire series. The characters are so real and lovable. A year had pasted since Dom Jonas and his best friend and sub, Cornell left the club on a cold night with icy roads They had been best friends for decades and looked after one another. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on their side on that night. Now Cornell is lost. His best friend is dead and he’s severely injured. He is a successful estate lawyer, but he can’t go home to his home that isn't designed for someone with his injuries…he can barely walk let alone take care of himself. Work is also out of the question right now. When his godson Rhys, Jonas’ son and a newly graduated Physical Therapist, insists that he go home with him back to his dad’s ranch, he wants to say no but knows it’s for the best. What he doesn’t know is that Rhys has been attracted to Cornell for years and he is now a mature, twenty-three-year-old that just happens to be a Dom and he is ready to seize his opportunity to finally get what and who he wants. The younger man being the dominant to his older godfather really didn’t bother me. I felt that it was a nice twist to the predictable older Dom/younger sub that most books have. I also liked the chemistry between both Rhys and Cornell. There were fewer intimate scenes than I would have expected with these two...but Cornell was injured. For quite a bit of the book we were more in the two characters head’s than in their relationship. The story showed the developing relationship through both Jonas's and Cornell's points of view, which helped immensely. The only character I didn't like throwing in her two cents worth was Rhy's mother. Rhys was not a fifteen-year-old kid...he was a twenty-three-year-old man who she deserted along with his father years ago. The writing is superb. I have come to expect nothing less from Nora Phoenix. She always includes the unexpected and unconventional in her writing. The dynamics of the younger Dom with his much older sub was a nice twist.
Read
April 19, 2022Tradotto ed “editato” (tra virgolette perché secondo me non è stato fatto) davvero male. Mi spiace ma non si può pubblicare un libro così.
Non è giusto nei confronti dellǝ lettricǝ e nemmeno in quelli dell’autrice, perché così non si rende (per niente) giustizia al suo lavoro.
Preferisco non esprimermi dando un voto, perché sarebbe inevitabilmente influenzato dalla pessima resa in italiano e non credo sia giusto.
Non è giusto nei confronti dellǝ lettricǝ e nemmeno in quelli dell’autrice, perché così non si rende (per niente) giustizia al suo lavoro.
Preferisco non esprimermi dando un voto, perché sarebbe inevitabilmente influenzato dalla pessima resa in italiano e non credo sia giusto.
February 14, 2022
3.5-4 stars
I ended up liking this book way more than I initially thought.
Rhys and Cornell were great together very low angst and they just fit!
I am interested in reading Raf and Brendan’s book I haven’t read a little book before so this will be out of my comfort zone but I’m always open to new things so let’s go! Plus those two in this book were adorable!
I ended up liking this book way more than I initially thought.
Rhys and Cornell were great together very low angst and they just fit!
I am interested in reading Raf and Brendan’s book I haven’t read a little book before so this will be out of my comfort zone but I’m always open to new things so let’s go! Plus those two in this book were adorable!
May 23, 2019
This book has all the hallmarks of a winner for me. Great author, age gap, Daddy kink... but I just didn’t fall in love with these characters as I have many of her others. But I’m sure it’s a case of “it’s me, not the book”.
It was just too slow for me. And then, when the relationship develops, it’s way too fast. I know Rhys has been in love with Cornell for some time but I just didn’t get any real sense of them falling in love and meant to be together. More of a convenience for Cornell being lonely, unable or unwanting to take care of himself and needing someone.
And the kink was way too vanilla for my liking. I did think the author presented Cornell and his physical difficulties after the accident with a very realistic touch. Their scenes are very light and tend to stay that way. Which did suit where the characters were but didn’t set my soul on fire. There is some dirty talk that spike my interest but it was short lived. And when it came, the Daddy stuff was, again, way too mild for me.
I didn’t hate this it just didn’t have what I needed. Like some other reviewers, I actually found myself more intrigued with the secondary characters Ford, and Rhys’ best friend Raf and his Daddy. Fingers crossed we get books about them.
It was just too slow for me. And then, when the relationship develops, it’s way too fast. I know Rhys has been in love with Cornell for some time but I just didn’t get any real sense of them falling in love and meant to be together. More of a convenience for Cornell being lonely, unable or unwanting to take care of himself and needing someone.
And the kink was way too vanilla for my liking. I did think the author presented Cornell and his physical difficulties after the accident with a very realistic touch. Their scenes are very light and tend to stay that way. Which did suit where the characters were but didn’t set my soul on fire. There is some dirty talk that spike my interest but it was short lived. And when it came, the Daddy stuff was, again, way too mild for me.
I didn’t hate this it just didn’t have what I needed. Like some other reviewers, I actually found myself more intrigued with the secondary characters Ford, and Rhys’ best friend Raf and his Daddy. Fingers crossed we get books about them.
January 8, 2020
El inicio es medio raro y muuuy lento pero te entretiene.
El que uno de los protagonistas es el mayor y el sumiso de la relación cuando el otro es más de 20 años joven, es interesante.
No sé si leeré el siguiente libro, me súper interesa por el tema que tratará (y por Raf más que nada) pero si el inicio es igual de lento que este libro, moriré 😂.
El que uno de los protagonistas es el mayor y el sumiso de la relación cuando el otro es más de 20 años joven, es interesante.
No sé si leeré el siguiente libro, me súper interesa por el tema que tratará (y por Raf más que nada) pero si el inicio es igual de lento que este libro, moriré 😂.
Read
October 2, 2022DNF
October 18, 2021
This was my first time in this genre, aside from some lighter Chara Croft stuff. I feel like I got a damn education, daddy ;)
Just wow. So heartfelt, romantic and steamy…If i could have recorded my faces during this book it’d be something like 😶😌😋😛😝🤨😲😳🤭🥵😈💦🤯😮💨😝🥰
Just wow. So heartfelt, romantic and steamy…If i could have recorded my faces during this book it’d be something like 😶😌😋😛😝🤨😲😳🤭🥵😈💦🤯😮💨😝🥰
May 21, 2019
4.5 Daddy stars
What can you say about this book but heartwarming, grab your tissues feel good read with a dose of age gap and Daddy kink.
Nora really hit with a lot of subjects that I'm glad she addressed. Very well written as always. I don't want to give anything away but this was a great read.
What can you say about this book but heartwarming, grab your tissues feel good read with a dose of age gap and Daddy kink.
Nora really hit with a lot of subjects that I'm glad she addressed. Very well written as always. I don't want to give anything away but this was a great read.
May 22, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
I really enjoyed this story by Nora Phoenix. I mean, it is pretty much my cat nip with the reverse age gap element, but there is also so much heart and sweetness here to go along with all the heat. Clearly, you have to be cool with the whole “sleeping with your best friend’s kid” aspect of the story, but Phoenix handles it really nicely and things are never salacious, but instead sweet and romantic in a way that makes the premise really work. I particularly appreciated how both Cornell and Rhys are struggling with expectations based on age and their kink interests. As an older sub, Cornell finds most Doms are looking for young twinks and not middle aged men. He worries he will no longer attract a Dom, and that feeling gets even worse after his accident when Cornell can no longer kneel and has other physical limitations. Losing Jonas, who was not only his best friend, but someone who truly understood and shared his plight, has left him at even more of a loss. Conversely, Rhys finds that as a young Dom, he is not always taken seriously and people are looking for someone older and more experienced. So each of these men are fighting against other people’s expectations and it is really rewarding to see them finding a connection together.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
I really enjoyed this story by Nora Phoenix. I mean, it is pretty much my cat nip with the reverse age gap element, but there is also so much heart and sweetness here to go along with all the heat. Clearly, you have to be cool with the whole “sleeping with your best friend’s kid” aspect of the story, but Phoenix handles it really nicely and things are never salacious, but instead sweet and romantic in a way that makes the premise really work. I particularly appreciated how both Cornell and Rhys are struggling with expectations based on age and their kink interests. As an older sub, Cornell finds most Doms are looking for young twinks and not middle aged men. He worries he will no longer attract a Dom, and that feeling gets even worse after his accident when Cornell can no longer kneel and has other physical limitations. Losing Jonas, who was not only his best friend, but someone who truly understood and shared his plight, has left him at even more of a loss. Conversely, Rhys finds that as a young Dom, he is not always taken seriously and people are looking for someone older and more experienced. So each of these men are fighting against other people’s expectations and it is really rewarding to see them finding a connection together.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
did-not-finish
March 21, 2021Read this book as part of the 2019 Members' Choice Awards Challenge.
Categories: Best Family Drama, Best Hurt/Comfort
DNF @ 12%
The writing feels really off. At 12% the book's already full of frustratingly illogical reactions. I don't want to read something that I will most likely hate.
Categories: Best Family Drama, Best Hurt/Comfort
DNF @ 12%
The writing feels really off. At 12% the book's already full of frustratingly illogical reactions. I don't want to read something that I will most likely hate.
May 27, 2019
3 stars
There were some elements of grief here that really touched my heart. But I can’t help but feel that’s the loudest emotion I felt from this book. Like, I genuinely didn’t really feel connected with Rhys or Cornell at all.
It was well written. The plot line made sense. There was no drama at the end of the second act. In fact, it barely felt like there was a second act at all. It had the first act of introducing the characters. Then it was a slow glide to the end with relative sweetness all round.
I just feel a tiny bit disappointed but there really isn’t any glaring problems except it flowed too smoothly? I also expected a bit more from a daddy-kink storyline. It was all too sweet. I suppose I expected some raw emotions.
There were some elements of grief here that really touched my heart. But I can’t help but feel that’s the loudest emotion I felt from this book. Like, I genuinely didn’t really feel connected with Rhys or Cornell at all.
It was well written. The plot line made sense. There was no drama at the end of the second act. In fact, it barely felt like there was a second act at all. It had the first act of introducing the characters. Then it was a slow glide to the end with relative sweetness all round.
I just feel a tiny bit disappointed but there really isn’t any glaring problems except it flowed too smoothly? I also expected a bit more from a daddy-kink storyline. It was all too sweet. I suppose I expected some raw emotions.
May 20, 2019
2.5 stars.
It almost pains me to give a book by Nora Phoenix a low rating, because she is without a doubt my favorite author. However, this was a miss for me.
I didn't really connect with the story or the characters, and I felt some conclusions were drawn too quickly.
The writing style in this is as superb as always, and I can appreciate the enjoyment I got from reading it, but the actual plot didn't click for me.
It almost pains me to give a book by Nora Phoenix a low rating, because she is without a doubt my favorite author. However, this was a miss for me.
I didn't really connect with the story or the characters, and I felt some conclusions were drawn too quickly.
The writing style in this is as superb as always, and I can appreciate the enjoyment I got from reading it, but the actual plot didn't click for me.
August 19, 2019
An extremely hot mess.
June 3, 2019
*2.5 Stars*
This started out so great then fell apart for me. :(
This started out so great then fell apart for me. :(
May 19, 2019
Perhaps it is my feeble acquaintance with BDSM outside of the odd MM romance featuring it that made a blip on my radar loud enough for me to get tempted into buying it, but I found this book to be lackluster and overcontrived. In a nutshell, this story felt neither fresh nor graceful (this is almost incest, with a too-big age gap of 22 years), let alone touching. The psychology of the leads in my opinion evinced little in the way of actual Auseinandersetzung with the lifestyle, apart from Rhys' need to take care sexual and affective of the one he has been regarding as his Sub for several years, and from Cornell's deep-seeted impulse to please and be subservient, none of which amounts to much even though Mrs Phoenix goes out of her way time and again to spell it out for the reader how much each one is the perfect counterpart for the other. Subtle and articulate this book surely is not. The flimsy plotting would hardly jar in the worst PWP fanfiction (kill off brutally the beta lead's BFF so that he can be conforted by the alpha protagonist, how more formulaic could this writer be?); and the protagonists are drawn in what I consider to be pretty unappealing and oversimplistic fashion. "Baby Dom" Rhys is the kind of character whose crude internal discourse, for this is a dual, alternate POV story, borders on juvenile crudity rather unfit for a physical therapist in training (let two samples suffice to make my point clear: "Rhys didn't answer but stood there, watching Cornell fall asleep. When he did, his breathing leveling out into a deep pattern, Rhys let out a slow exhale. Hurdle one was accomplished. Cornell was here, safely under his roof. Now he had to make sure the man got better. Rhys vowed he would take care of him. He owed that to his dad’s best friend, right? And if he enjoyed having the man near for different reasons, why, that was just a bonus" ~ "“I’ve got you,” he said, keeping his voice soft, his hands finding knots and massaging them until they became fluid and warm. It was routine for him, usually, but this time, he couldn’t look away from the body he was working on. What was it about Cornell that drew him in? He wasn’t even sure, and he’d had years to think about it by now. (...) It was more about an innate grace he had, a magnetic energy that pulled Rhys in. Every time he was in the same room as Cornell, the man would draw him in, like a helpless bee to a flower"). On the same topic, I particularly resented the thought patterns given to 45-year old Cornell, like his grossly contrived fear of solitude (as he states in the first chapter, just before the accident, "“Can I stay with you tonight?” he asked, craving the companionship in bed. Out of everything he’d lost when Arnold had left him, that had been the hardest, strangely enough. He hated sleeping alone, painfully missing a body next to him. The body pillow he’d bought was a meager replacement") or his obsession about not being able to kneel down any longer and service anyone, after the car crash that killed Rhys' father. Though self-pity is perfectly fine and dandy under such circumstances, it feels immature and fake in the extreme for a middle-aged, successful real estate lawyer to linger on such silly ideas. Moreover, the samples I quoted showcase the type of prose style Mrs Phoenix indulges in throughout the book: articulate but a far cry from stylish, with low-brow vocabulary, simplistic inflections (repetitions of auxiliary verbs crop up with insolence: "there are certain adaptations you can make to your home to make it easier", "“I understand. Perhaps you could make temporary arrangements with family or friends? You will be discharged tomorrow, so you need to make sure you have a suitable place to stay.” Cornell almost choked on his own breath. “Tomorrow? I can’t make arrangements on such short notice!”, etc), and a deep love for rhetorical exaggerations and commonplaces that verge on ornery ("a deep stab pierced his heart at the thought of having to buy a house without Jonas’s advice" ~ "ears welled up in his eyes all over again. He was surprised he hadn’t run out by now. Lord knew he’d cried enough to end a drought in a few small countries. There had been days when he’d barely been able to see through his swollen eyes", etc). Obviously, this is not a book for literary demanding readers.
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