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Bold Brew #9
Cinnamon Roll
This cinnamon roll has plenty of bite!
Maxime Demers has had an eye on Tom Cedric for a while, watching him flit from one awful man to another. So when Tom pins an ad to the community cork board at Bold Brew, Max can’t resist reading it. Tom’s looking for a play partner—someone who’s not a jerk—and Max knows he could give Tom what he needs. But first he’ll have to get the man to talk to him.
Tom Cedric thinks Max is way out of his league. He’s handsome, intelligent, speaks a billion languages, and can make a person kneel with a single look—too damn good for someone like Tom. But he can’t resist the temptation to talk to the man he’s had a crush on since the moment he laid eyes on him.
The connection between them is immediate, hot, and tempting, and when Max needs a replacement helper for an impact demo he’s giving, Tom jumps at the chance. A demo should be safe, right? A few hours. Clothing on. No stakes. Neither man is prepared when that spark ignites, and Tom is absolutely unprepared to discover the sweet man behind those dominating looks.
Cinnamon Roll is a stand-alone novel in the Bold Brew shared universe, centered around an inclusive coffee shop in a fictional small city. Each steaming hot coffee shop romance can be enjoyed alone, but collect all ten for the most fun!
This twist on a second-chance romance is 90,000-word cup of steaming hot scenes, a dusting of angst, plenty of fluff, and a guaranteed happy ending!
Maxime Demers has had an eye on Tom Cedric for a while, watching him flit from one awful man to another. So when Tom pins an ad to the community cork board at Bold Brew, Max can’t resist reading it. Tom’s looking for a play partner—someone who’s not a jerk—and Max knows he could give Tom what he needs. But first he’ll have to get the man to talk to him.
Tom Cedric thinks Max is way out of his league. He’s handsome, intelligent, speaks a billion languages, and can make a person kneel with a single look—too damn good for someone like Tom. But he can’t resist the temptation to talk to the man he’s had a crush on since the moment he laid eyes on him.
The connection between them is immediate, hot, and tempting, and when Max needs a replacement helper for an impact demo he’s giving, Tom jumps at the chance. A demo should be safe, right? A few hours. Clothing on. No stakes. Neither man is prepared when that spark ignites, and Tom is absolutely unprepared to discover the sweet man behind those dominating looks.
Cinnamon Roll is a stand-alone novel in the Bold Brew shared universe, centered around an inclusive coffee shop in a fictional small city. Each steaming hot coffee shop romance can be enjoyed alone, but collect all ten for the most fun!
This twist on a second-chance romance is 90,000-word cup of steaming hot scenes, a dusting of angst, plenty of fluff, and a guaranteed happy ending!
10 pages, Audiobook
First published April 20, 2021
73 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Anna Zabo
26 books709 followersAnna Zabo (they/them) writes contemporary and paranormal romance for all colors of the rainbow. They live and work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which isn’t nearly as boring as most people think.
Anna is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and prefers Mx. Zabo as an honorific.
Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. They can be easily plied with coffee.
Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
Anna is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns and prefers Mx. Zabo as an honorific.
Anna grew up in the wilds of suburban Philadelphia before returning to their ancestral homelands in Western Pennsylvania. They can be easily plied with coffee.
Anna has an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where they fell in with a roving band of romance writers and never looked back. They also have a BA in Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
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January 22, 2021This is a standalone m/m novel (90K) in the Bold Brew universe.
There's a lot of kinky sex in this one. Max is a linguistics professor at the local university. He's also French Canadian and a polyglot. Tom co-owns a small law firm and is a divorce lawyer. Kink is generally pain play, somewhat on the level of Just Business.
There's also some beer-league hockey, ice skating, food, and baked goods.
Rep: Max is implied to be pansexual (he never mentions his sexuality, but has had partners of different genders), and is a sadist. Tom is gay, deeply masochistic, and is vaguely questioning whether he's aromantic or demi-romantic.
Content warnings under the spoilers tag.
If you have any questions about the content, please feel free to ask!
There's a lot of kinky sex in this one. Max is a linguistics professor at the local university. He's also French Canadian and a polyglot. Tom co-owns a small law firm and is a divorce lawyer. Kink is generally pain play, somewhat on the level of Just Business.
There's also some beer-league hockey, ice skating, food, and baked goods.
Rep: Max is implied to be pansexual (he never mentions his sexuality, but has had partners of different genders), and is a sadist. Tom is gay, deeply masochistic, and is vaguely questioning whether he's aromantic or demi-romantic.
Content warnings under the spoilers tag.
If you have any questions about the content, please feel free to ask!
March 29, 2021
I’ve been looking forward to this book since the author announced it, and I have to say, I really adore Tom and Max. It’s scorchingly hot, it’s got kink, and it’s just really sweet. However, there are a few things I had an issue with, so I’m really sorry I’m rating this only 3-stars!!! For the MCs and for the food and the hockey, it would be a 5 for me, but there’s too many other moments that makes it 3 stars for me.
This book does contain trigger warnings listed in the book itself before the story begins, and they are also listed on Goodreads, so I do recommend checking those out.
Tom Cedric is a 36-year-old lawyer who has had a string of bad luck with Doms, so he places an ad up at the local coffee shop called Bold Brew looking for a Dom. 39-year-old and French-Canadian professor at the local Laureslburg University, Maxine “Max” Demers notices the string of men who meet up with Tom. He notices Tom grows more and more frustrated after meeting each man, and Max orders a coffee for Tom. A cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon even. And so begins their first real interaction with one another.
I guess I should preface this review that I’m purposely reading this series out of order after, let’s just say, some disappointments with shared world book series. This is my first book in the Bold Brew series and I think it actually stands alone pretty well. I think there are some areas that might make more sense if you’ve read the previous books, but it’s not crucial to read them first. However, it took me ages before I realized LU stood for Laurelsburg University, and I have a very vague understanding that Bold Brew seconds as a place for kink demos as opposed to the more kink play place in town called Mansion House? There’s Tom’s co-worker Aaron, who has his own polyam book that’s before this one by L.A. Witt. But honestly, this book is fine on its own in case anyone wanted to skip around this series and be chaotic like me and read out of order.
Like I said in my intro, the sex scenes are hot in this one! And there’s a lot. I do feel like there’s a lot of in-between quiet moments too that shows you life for Tom and Max outside of kink and sex. It’s just them getting to know each other and that was really nice too. The hockey scenes? The bread story? I LOVED ALL OF THAT.
*****SPOILERS AHEAD*****
*****END OF SPOILERS*****
I will say that the downsides of reading in a shared world series is that authors will introduce characters you want to read a book about but won’t have a book of their own. In this book, one of them is Lupé. They’re a worker at Bold Brew and so sweet and I want them to get their HEA!! From the blurb for the next, and looks like the last, book of the series by Gwen Martin, it appears that Lupé is disappointingly not a MC for that book. Rhys, Tom’s landlord, is fine and all, and I’m sure West is too, but *gestures* Lupé is right here!
This leads me to my next thing. This isn’t a problem I have for this book, but the overarching Bold Brew series as a whole. Other readers have pointed this out as well. For a supposedly “LGBTQ+ inclusive” coffee shop series that this series was promoted as, the main characters all seem to be white and cis, with the stories all being m/m? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t find evidence proving otherwise. I never minded this with anthology series authors have done in the past, but if all the “inclusive” characters you’re promoting are on the sidelines, I guess that’s where I start questioning things. Was this supposed to be only moderately kink inclusive and not queer inclusive? There’s no f/f or queer m/f books in this series, so it just feels a bit like false advertising to me.
This is also a minor, minor thing, and maybe it’s because I’m reading an ARC and this will be fixed in the final copy? But. It was super weird how Tom mentions he has an admin (I’m guessing he means an admin assistant?) named Brook and then he is simply never mentioned again. Even when Tom, Aaron, and their paralegal, Kip, all go out for lunch. Is their law firm a four-person company, or three? I guess we will never know. But I should add that Kip should get his own book and HEA!!! I demand stories for Lupé and Kip!!
I think there were some instances where I felt like the way Tom and Max talked seemed too formal for how people actually talk. It felt weird and overly formal at times? I don’t recall this being a problem in the author’s Takeover series since it’s been a hot minute since I’ve re-read those books, but this was definitely a thing I noted in the Twisted Wishes series. And the rehashing of the cinnamon roll meme and WHY we have a cinnamon roll Dom and sadist was almost too much. It’s like, we get it and it got awkward three mentions ago and I never want to hear the words “cinnamon roll” again.
Anyways.
There are actually things I DID like. Don’t get me wrong. I do love the kink in this book and maybe because this is a self-pub instead of with a traditional publisher, but it’s delightfully a lot MORE than we’ve seen from the author in their other books. And it was a lot of fun!!!
The only question I have from this front is that we’re supposed to trust that Max respects Tom’s boundaries and listens to Tom. But...Tom mentions to Max that he had a bad encounter where his then-boyfriend showed up at his workplace unannounced and it was a big no-no for him. So why was it totally okay for Max to do it and Tom was just...fine? It was not addressed at all and it could be that Tom just trusts Max, but it was weird how the story about Tom’s ex happened and when we see it played out later with Max? It’s like the whole story with the ex is forgotten. But I have not forgotten. So, I was just super confused.
Something else I really liked is that this book is really on-point when it comes to baked goods, and just, you know, food in general? Don’t read this book on an empty stomach or you’ll be snacking away like I did. I want the bread! I want the chocolate croissants! I want the grilled cheese sandwiches! They all sound delicious.
Overall, I feel like I did enjoy this book. Tom and Max are lovely and I think Anna Zabo did extremely well at introducing readers to characters from the previous book because it makes me want to read Aaron, Will, and Kelly’s story and somehow doesn’t make me feeling like I’m missing out by not reading it before reading this one. I think this book is way hotter than any of the author’s previous books. Yes, they’ve done kinky romances but nothing like THIS. So, I think readers will be in for a treat from that aspect. And whether the ending works for you or not will probably depend on how much you grow attached to the idea that we could’ve had an aro MC.
***Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC to read and review!***
This book does contain trigger warnings listed in the book itself before the story begins, and they are also listed on Goodreads, so I do recommend checking those out.
Tom Cedric is a 36-year-old lawyer who has had a string of bad luck with Doms, so he places an ad up at the local coffee shop called Bold Brew looking for a Dom. 39-year-old and French-Canadian professor at the local Laureslburg University, Maxine “Max” Demers notices the string of men who meet up with Tom. He notices Tom grows more and more frustrated after meeting each man, and Max orders a coffee for Tom. A cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon even. And so begins their first real interaction with one another.
I guess I should preface this review that I’m purposely reading this series out of order after, let’s just say, some disappointments with shared world book series. This is my first book in the Bold Brew series and I think it actually stands alone pretty well. I think there are some areas that might make more sense if you’ve read the previous books, but it’s not crucial to read them first. However, it took me ages before I realized LU stood for Laurelsburg University, and I have a very vague understanding that Bold Brew seconds as a place for kink demos as opposed to the more kink play place in town called Mansion House? There’s Tom’s co-worker Aaron, who has his own polyam book that’s before this one by L.A. Witt. But honestly, this book is fine on its own in case anyone wanted to skip around this series and be chaotic like me and read out of order.
Like I said in my intro, the sex scenes are hot in this one! And there’s a lot. I do feel like there’s a lot of in-between quiet moments too that shows you life for Tom and Max outside of kink and sex. It’s just them getting to know each other and that was really nice too. The hockey scenes? The bread story? I LOVED ALL OF THAT.
*****SPOILERS AHEAD*****
*****END OF SPOILERS*****
I will say that the downsides of reading in a shared world series is that authors will introduce characters you want to read a book about but won’t have a book of their own. In this book, one of them is Lupé. They’re a worker at Bold Brew and so sweet and I want them to get their HEA!! From the blurb for the next, and looks like the last, book of the series by Gwen Martin, it appears that Lupé is disappointingly not a MC for that book. Rhys, Tom’s landlord, is fine and all, and I’m sure West is too, but *gestures* Lupé is right here!
This leads me to my next thing. This isn’t a problem I have for this book, but the overarching Bold Brew series as a whole. Other readers have pointed this out as well. For a supposedly “LGBTQ+ inclusive” coffee shop series that this series was promoted as, the main characters all seem to be white and cis, with the stories all being m/m? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I can’t find evidence proving otherwise. I never minded this with anthology series authors have done in the past, but if all the “inclusive” characters you’re promoting are on the sidelines, I guess that’s where I start questioning things. Was this supposed to be only moderately kink inclusive and not queer inclusive? There’s no f/f or queer m/f books in this series, so it just feels a bit like false advertising to me.
This is also a minor, minor thing, and maybe it’s because I’m reading an ARC and this will be fixed in the final copy? But. It was super weird how Tom mentions he has an admin (I’m guessing he means an admin assistant?) named Brook and then he is simply never mentioned again. Even when Tom, Aaron, and their paralegal, Kip, all go out for lunch. Is their law firm a four-person company, or three? I guess we will never know. But I should add that Kip should get his own book and HEA!!! I demand stories for Lupé and Kip!!
I think there were some instances where I felt like the way Tom and Max talked seemed too formal for how people actually talk. It felt weird and overly formal at times? I don’t recall this being a problem in the author’s Takeover series since it’s been a hot minute since I’ve re-read those books, but this was definitely a thing I noted in the Twisted Wishes series. And the rehashing of the cinnamon roll meme and WHY we have a cinnamon roll Dom and sadist was almost too much. It’s like, we get it and it got awkward three mentions ago and I never want to hear the words “cinnamon roll” again.
Anyways.
There are actually things I DID like. Don’t get me wrong. I do love the kink in this book and maybe because this is a self-pub instead of with a traditional publisher, but it’s delightfully a lot MORE than we’ve seen from the author in their other books. And it was a lot of fun!!!
The only question I have from this front is that we’re supposed to trust that Max respects Tom’s boundaries and listens to Tom. But...Tom mentions to Max that he had a bad encounter where his then-boyfriend showed up at his workplace unannounced and it was a big no-no for him. So why was it totally okay for Max to do it and Tom was just...fine? It was not addressed at all and it could be that Tom just trusts Max, but it was weird how the story about Tom’s ex happened and when we see it played out later with Max? It’s like the whole story with the ex is forgotten. But I have not forgotten. So, I was just super confused.
Something else I really liked is that this book is really on-point when it comes to baked goods, and just, you know, food in general? Don’t read this book on an empty stomach or you’ll be snacking away like I did. I want the bread! I want the chocolate croissants! I want the grilled cheese sandwiches! They all sound delicious.
Overall, I feel like I did enjoy this book. Tom and Max are lovely and I think Anna Zabo did extremely well at introducing readers to characters from the previous book because it makes me want to read Aaron, Will, and Kelly’s story and somehow doesn’t make me feeling like I’m missing out by not reading it before reading this one. I think this book is way hotter than any of the author’s previous books. Yes, they’ve done kinky romances but nothing like THIS. So, I think readers will be in for a treat from that aspect. And whether the ending works for you or not will probably depend on how much you grow attached to the idea that we could’ve had an aro MC.
***Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC to read and review!***
April 22, 2021
I could not get behind these 2 characters. Maybe it’s because I was introduced to Tom in the previous book but the whole aromatic thing came off as unbelievable for me.
In the previous book, Tom was searching for a guy, he looked “longingly” at Aaron and Will’s relationship.. that did not give me any indication whatsoever that all he wanted was a fuck buddy slash kinky play partner. Yet that’s what he wants in this... he’s never been in love and freaks out any time someone mentions anything more serious. But he asks Max multiple times if he’s in love with him. Wtf?
And by the end of the book? We get Tom telling Max “I think I might be in love with you....” Uhhh yeah, I’d sure love to hear that shit after I tell someone I’m in love with them. And this happened twice!
Besides that, I just felt like this story dragged on. It wasn’t a sports-themed story so I was a bit bored with all the hockey plays being described when Max is playing for some faculty team he’s on. This happened twice in the book. Skimmed through that because I didn’t feel it was important to the story at all...
Yeah, this book had a lot of sex and kinky fun times but that’s all they felt like to me. No real connection between Max and Tom. I guess that’s more on Tom’s side because I could believe that Max had strong feelings for Tom but not really the other way around.
Plus Tom felt a bit oblivious to how a Dom should be. Aaron has been his close friend and business partner for 6 years and he has an amazing, caring Dom for a husband. They’ve talked about their kinky stuff so I find it very unbelievable that Tom wouldn’t know a non-asshole Dom’s behavior. He has issues from his past and being mistreated but the whole book he kept on putting himself down over and over and says he “trusts” Max but couldn’t believe he’d do certain nice things for him - like cooking, taking him out, letting him stay the night after their scene, doing things to him rather than just demanding from him. Ugh, it just got old for me.
The whole collar thing and kneeling was cute, but the end with no real “I love you” seriously ruined it for me.
I did like the character cameos from the previous books though. Aaron, Will, Kelly, even Blake and Vann were mentioned. I always enjoy that.
This book just didn’t work out for me in the way that I wanted. Oh well.
POV: Dual 3rd person
In the previous book, Tom was searching for a guy, he looked “longingly” at Aaron and Will’s relationship.. that did not give me any indication whatsoever that all he wanted was a fuck buddy slash kinky play partner. Yet that’s what he wants in this... he’s never been in love and freaks out any time someone mentions anything more serious. But he asks Max multiple times if he’s in love with him. Wtf?
And by the end of the book? We get Tom telling Max “I think I might be in love with you....” Uhhh yeah, I’d sure love to hear that shit after I tell someone I’m in love with them. And this happened twice!
Besides that, I just felt like this story dragged on. It wasn’t a sports-themed story so I was a bit bored with all the hockey plays being described when Max is playing for some faculty team he’s on. This happened twice in the book. Skimmed through that because I didn’t feel it was important to the story at all...
Yeah, this book had a lot of sex and kinky fun times but that’s all they felt like to me. No real connection between Max and Tom. I guess that’s more on Tom’s side because I could believe that Max had strong feelings for Tom but not really the other way around.
Plus Tom felt a bit oblivious to how a Dom should be. Aaron has been his close friend and business partner for 6 years and he has an amazing, caring Dom for a husband. They’ve talked about their kinky stuff so I find it very unbelievable that Tom wouldn’t know a non-asshole Dom’s behavior. He has issues from his past and being mistreated but the whole book he kept on putting himself down over and over and says he “trusts” Max but couldn’t believe he’d do certain nice things for him - like cooking, taking him out, letting him stay the night after their scene, doing things to him rather than just demanding from him. Ugh, it just got old for me.
The whole collar thing and kneeling was cute, but the end with no real “I love you” seriously ruined it for me.
I did like the character cameos from the previous books though. Aaron, Will, Kelly, even Blake and Vann were mentioned. I always enjoy that.
This book just didn’t work out for me in the way that I wanted. Oh well.
POV: Dual 3rd person
December 13, 2022
STOP! PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUEING
I felt that the warning was necessary so as not to offend you wonderful people that read my reviews on a regular basis. If you are not into this scene in anyway, you deserve to know that this is a heavy, heavy, heavy BDSM themed book. If that is a turn off or a trigger for you...just slide out now and thank you so much for even considering to reading my review.
I LOVED Max. Every last inch of him. I had met Tom and Max in L.A. Witt's contribution to the BOLD BREW series, in "EXTRA WHIP," and I couldn't wait to get their story. What a story it was! Tom Cedric is an attorney in the law firm that he started with his friend, Arron who has his own story in another book in this, the BOLD BREW series. Tom hasn't had good luck with any of the Dom's he's played with and has always felt a bit of his self-respect chip away after each encounter, so he decides it's time to find someone that treats him better and puts an ad up at Bold Brew Coffee Shop. Max is a French-Canadian and a professor at the local college. Max is a Dom that has watched Tom go through bad Doms and always wanted to approach him, but his chance came when Tom realized that things were not working for him and put up that ad. I really like Anna Zabo's writing. I have read several of her others and was excited to see she was a contributor to this series. The book is adorable, and romantic, as well as kinky. The two guys are sweet, respectful to one another and an absolutely perfect pair. A hot professor who is also a caring Dom ...what more can you ask for? A sexy lawyer who needs to find a respectful Dom and found that and much more, in Max. By the way...Max can bake also...YUMMY YUM on several levels:)
I felt that the warning was necessary so as not to offend you wonderful people that read my reviews on a regular basis. If you are not into this scene in anyway, you deserve to know that this is a heavy, heavy, heavy BDSM themed book. If that is a turn off or a trigger for you...just slide out now and thank you so much for even considering to reading my review.
I LOVED Max. Every last inch of him. I had met Tom and Max in L.A. Witt's contribution to the BOLD BREW series, in "EXTRA WHIP," and I couldn't wait to get their story. What a story it was! Tom Cedric is an attorney in the law firm that he started with his friend, Arron who has his own story in another book in this, the BOLD BREW series. Tom hasn't had good luck with any of the Dom's he's played with and has always felt a bit of his self-respect chip away after each encounter, so he decides it's time to find someone that treats him better and puts an ad up at Bold Brew Coffee Shop. Max is a French-Canadian and a professor at the local college. Max is a Dom that has watched Tom go through bad Doms and always wanted to approach him, but his chance came when Tom realized that things were not working for him and put up that ad. I really like Anna Zabo's writing. I have read several of her others and was excited to see she was a contributor to this series. The book is adorable, and romantic, as well as kinky. The two guys are sweet, respectful to one another and an absolutely perfect pair. A hot professor who is also a caring Dom ...what more can you ask for? A sexy lawyer who needs to find a respectful Dom and found that and much more, in Max. By the way...Max can bake also...YUMMY YUM on several levels:)
April 20, 2021
I met Tom and Max in L.A. Witt's contribution to the series, EXTRA WHIP, and I couldn't wait to get their story. Tom and Aaron are partners at their law firm, Cedric and Taylor, and Max and Will both work at L.U. so they are friends as well. It was great seeing not only Aaron and Will but also their third Kelly pop up in this book.
Tom Cedric hasn't had luck with any of the Dom's he's played with and has always felt a bit of his self respect chip away after each encounter so he decides it's time to find someone that treats him better and puts an ad up at Bold Brew.
Maxime Demers is the hottie professor at LU that everyone drools over but for some reason he can't get Tom to talk to him much less look at him, well that was until he saw the ad he posted....
Max and Tom are great together, I loved the way Max helped Tom with his insecurities and Tom also did a lot for Max as well. Their chemistry was great and their scenes were stellar! I will admit to checking Urban Dictionary to see what "Cinnamon Roll" meant when it was mentioned because I haven't heard the term before (when I pre-ordered this book I actually thought one of them was going to be a baker...yes you can laugh at me because I am doing it myself right now) but now that I know what it means I will agree Max is a total Cinnamon Roll.
Anna Zabo is another new to me author, Bold Brew has definitely given me so many new authors to add to my list of authors to look for and Anna Zabo is absolutely being added to that list. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone so no worries if you haven't read L.A. Witt's book yet but I highly recommend each book in this series because they have all been great reads!
If you enjoy MM Romances or BDSM Romances I would recommend this book to you.
Happy Reading!!!
Read an Excerpt here: http://bit.ly/NBReviewCR
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** I also preordered a copy
You can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
Tom Cedric hasn't had luck with any of the Dom's he's played with and has always felt a bit of his self respect chip away after each encounter so he decides it's time to find someone that treats him better and puts an ad up at Bold Brew.
Maxime Demers is the hottie professor at LU that everyone drools over but for some reason he can't get Tom to talk to him much less look at him, well that was until he saw the ad he posted....
Max and Tom are great together, I loved the way Max helped Tom with his insecurities and Tom also did a lot for Max as well. Their chemistry was great and their scenes were stellar! I will admit to checking Urban Dictionary to see what "Cinnamon Roll" meant when it was mentioned because I haven't heard the term before (when I pre-ordered this book I actually thought one of them was going to be a baker...yes you can laugh at me because I am doing it myself right now) but now that I know what it means I will agree Max is a total Cinnamon Roll.
Anna Zabo is another new to me author, Bold Brew has definitely given me so many new authors to add to my list of authors to look for and Anna Zabo is absolutely being added to that list. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone so no worries if you haven't read L.A. Witt's book yet but I highly recommend each book in this series because they have all been great reads!
If you enjoy MM Romances or BDSM Romances I would recommend this book to you.
Happy Reading!!!
Read an Excerpt here: http://bit.ly/NBReviewCR
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** I also preordered a copy You can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
April 25, 2021
4.5* This is my first Anna Zabo novel (although I’ve been meaning to read their Twisted Wishes series for ages) and it pushed all of my buttons in the right order.
Max, a 39 year old linguistics Professor, is an experienced Dom and sadist with a great reputation in the Laurelsburg BDSM scene. Tom, a 36 year old family law lawyer, is a sub looking for respect and dignity in his next relationship, after a long line of asshole Doms who treated him poorly. Although they move in the same circles they’ve hardly spoken until a chance encounter at Bold Brew leads to them performing an impact demo together, which leads to Max’s well equipped basement, which leads to a growing emotional connection.
The sex scenes are absolutely stellar - beautifully choreographed, creative, and with detailed, careful consent. Max and Tom are perfectly matched in their physical desire to give and receive pain; Max is sensitive to Tom’s limits, even while Tom wants to be pushed to them. Each scene does important work for them both, carving out space for them to deal with their central conflict - which is that, in spite of their physical connection, they may not want the same thing from a relationship. While Max is looking for a life partner, hopefully a spouse, and a romantic connection with someone, Tom isn’t sure about his capacity for or interest in romantic love. He hasn’t experienced it before and considers him aromantic, or possibly demi. It’s a source of much anxiety for him, which is further complicated by the trauma he carries from being abused by previous partners.
I can’t speak to this aspect of the rep in the book, but I can say that the way Anna Zabo confronts Tom’s uncertainty is thorough and thoughtful. Max and Tom do a lot of talking; they don’t let their misunderstandings fester and they are patient with one another. The time they spend building a friendship was lovely - the baking and cooking, the skating and dinner dates, the hockey games. Max is a service top as well as a sadist and the way he takes care of Tom is a delight. He’s a cinnamon roll who bakes literal cinnamon rolls for his love. I mean. Come on. It’s perfect.
Max, a 39 year old linguistics Professor, is an experienced Dom and sadist with a great reputation in the Laurelsburg BDSM scene. Tom, a 36 year old family law lawyer, is a sub looking for respect and dignity in his next relationship, after a long line of asshole Doms who treated him poorly. Although they move in the same circles they’ve hardly spoken until a chance encounter at Bold Brew leads to them performing an impact demo together, which leads to Max’s well equipped basement, which leads to a growing emotional connection.
The sex scenes are absolutely stellar - beautifully choreographed, creative, and with detailed, careful consent. Max and Tom are perfectly matched in their physical desire to give and receive pain; Max is sensitive to Tom’s limits, even while Tom wants to be pushed to them. Each scene does important work for them both, carving out space for them to deal with their central conflict - which is that, in spite of their physical connection, they may not want the same thing from a relationship. While Max is looking for a life partner, hopefully a spouse, and a romantic connection with someone, Tom isn’t sure about his capacity for or interest in romantic love. He hasn’t experienced it before and considers him aromantic, or possibly demi. It’s a source of much anxiety for him, which is further complicated by the trauma he carries from being abused by previous partners.
I can’t speak to this aspect of the rep in the book, but I can say that the way Anna Zabo confronts Tom’s uncertainty is thorough and thoughtful. Max and Tom do a lot of talking; they don’t let their misunderstandings fester and they are patient with one another. The time they spend building a friendship was lovely - the baking and cooking, the skating and dinner dates, the hockey games. Max is a service top as well as a sadist and the way he takes care of Tom is a delight. He’s a cinnamon roll who bakes literal cinnamon rolls for his love. I mean. Come on. It’s perfect.
April 25, 2021
10/10
At some point I really want to write a more thoughtful review, but for right now I just gotta say this might be a perfect book— I loved it so much!!
At some point I really want to write a more thoughtful review, but for right now I just gotta say this might be a perfect book— I loved it so much!!
April 25, 2021
I have too many things to say here. First, I'm happy Anna Zabo is back. They write emotional kink like no one else. Second, I'm greatly disappointed here. It didn't make sense, like, at all. How could someone be in the scene for 15 years and have no idea of the theory of things? Tom was like a newborn, although he went to all the demos, munches, parties and stuff. For years!!! He is supposed to be a smart guy, and yet, he didn't have an idea of what a good dynamic between a dom and sub is supposed to be?! His best friends are in such a relationship... He seemed totally clueless about himself. Read a book, dude!
And Max, Max is sooo nice, good, nice, goood, amazing, gifted, well - rounded, nice, good, you get my drift. He would be a fairy tale prince if he didn't laugh or chuckle or grin at everything Tom did or said. It's humiliating. I wanted him to stop so many times. I barely made it after the 50%.
One more thing, and it's controversial, but.. I get the drift that being aromantic means that the person is not romantic according to Hollywood standards. So you could be caring, giving, totally immerced in your partner, but if you are not willing to say "I love you" a thousand times a day, go on prescribed dates and so on, you are not a romantic person?! That is so screwed up. I'm probably wrong, or this notion just doesn't translate well outside of the US, but I'm really don't get this idea of (a)romance.
And Max, Max is sooo nice, good, nice, goood, amazing, gifted, well - rounded, nice, good, you get my drift. He would be a fairy tale prince if he didn't laugh or chuckle or grin at everything Tom did or said. It's humiliating. I wanted him to stop so many times. I barely made it after the 50%.
One more thing, and it's controversial, but.. I get the drift that being aromantic means that the person is not romantic according to Hollywood standards. So you could be caring, giving, totally immerced in your partner, but if you are not willing to say "I love you" a thousand times a day, go on prescribed dates and so on, you are not a romantic person?! That is so screwed up. I'm probably wrong, or this notion just doesn't translate well outside of the US, but I'm really don't get this idea of (a)romance.
May 14, 2021
Full review to come.
Just some reminders for now.
unless you are part of that group you do not get to say whether the representation is realistic or not.
I think when you have so few examples of representation to choose from and to pull from, it can be easy to say that that example of representation represents that entire group of people. Stop doing that. The aro character in this book is questioning his romantic orientation and he's not sure if he is aromantic or demiromantic but it's made pretty clear that he is somewhere on the aromantic spectrum.
It talks a lot about his past relationships and how they weren't really relationships, how he's never thought of a sexual partner as a friend before. Talks a lot about how he hasn't looked at people and thought that he wanted to have a romantic relationship. He's never been in love nor has he thought about it etc.
There are so many nuances of aromanticism and to assume that all of them could be contained within one character in one book is a bad assumption. It's impossible to have a universal aromantic experience because it doesn't exist. I've said this before about asexual representation and I think it's even more prevalent for aromantic representation because it is even fewer and farther between. Especially allosexual aromantic. Just please be mindful that a single experience cannot speak for an entire group no matter the group of people is.
Just some reminders for now.
unless you are part of that group you do not get to say whether the representation is realistic or not.
I think when you have so few examples of representation to choose from and to pull from, it can be easy to say that that example of representation represents that entire group of people. Stop doing that. The aro character in this book is questioning his romantic orientation and he's not sure if he is aromantic or demiromantic but it's made pretty clear that he is somewhere on the aromantic spectrum.
It talks a lot about his past relationships and how they weren't really relationships, how he's never thought of a sexual partner as a friend before. Talks a lot about how he hasn't looked at people and thought that he wanted to have a romantic relationship. He's never been in love nor has he thought about it etc.
There are so many nuances of aromanticism and to assume that all of them could be contained within one character in one book is a bad assumption. It's impossible to have a universal aromantic experience because it doesn't exist. I've said this before about asexual representation and I think it's even more prevalent for aromantic representation because it is even fewer and farther between. Especially allosexual aromantic. Just please be mindful that a single experience cannot speak for an entire group no matter the group of people is.
April 20, 2021
Read in one sitting. OUTSTANDING.
The way Anna Zabo writes kink is absolutely among my favorites. It’s full of consent and permission and care and feels. They are a gift to this particular genre.
Watching Tom figure out who he was...so good. Figuring out that bad D/s relationships from his past made him struggle with a good one now was heart wrenching and honest.
Max, I love you. You are my favorite Dom ever. A cinnamon roll Dom. Brilliant. Genius. Max is caring and hot and I would be remiss to leave out that I love his hair. Now please feed me some cinnamon rolls.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgDIeeHi...
The way Anna Zabo writes kink is absolutely among my favorites. It’s full of consent and permission and care and feels. They are a gift to this particular genre.
Watching Tom figure out who he was...so good. Figuring out that bad D/s relationships from his past made him struggle with a good one now was heart wrenching and honest.
Max, I love you. You are my favorite Dom ever. A cinnamon roll Dom. Brilliant. Genius. Max is caring and hot and I would be remiss to leave out that I love his hair. Now please feed me some cinnamon rolls.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgDIeeHi...
March 25, 2023
Tags: BDSM (specifically Sadism / Masochism), cinnamon roll MC, family lawyer / professor, Demiromantic MC
This was absolutely lovely. I love books where the MC’s kinks mesh perfectly with each other, and they’re able to give each other exactly what they need. So sweet, so loving. Not overly angsty, and some seriously hot kink scenes. Would definitely recommend.
This was absolutely lovely. I love books where the MC’s kinks mesh perfectly with each other, and they’re able to give each other exactly what they need. So sweet, so loving. Not overly angsty, and some seriously hot kink scenes. Would definitely recommend.
May 15, 2021
4.5 stars. This was such a perfect blend of feelings and steam and consent and hot af sex scenes. Anna Zabo gave us a master class in writing consent and showing how it develops and changes according to the relationship, while still being extremely sexy. Max and Tom were such great characters and I loved seeing them go from acquaintances to lovers. Max was an absolute dreamboat! A cinnamon roll sadist who makes cinnamon rolls. He was maybe a titch too perfect but I didn't really care. He did such a great job taking care of Tom and Tom absolutely deserved to be pampered.
I quite appreciated the inventiveness of the BDSM scenes. People who are into BDSM are capable of "vanilla" sex too, which is often a missing component of BDSM romance. The first time they make love was so powerful because it was a first for Tom but also because it showed them negotiating a new step in their relationship from D/s to something possibly more.
My only hesitation in giving it 5 stars has to do with the aro rep. Tom isn’t sure if he’s aromantic or demiromantic or none of the above. He’s never experienced a healthy D/s relationship before Max, which has given him some understandable issues to work through so I never thought he was actually aromantic. But we don't see if he investigates more about what being aro or demi would look like so that would have been helpful. Aromanticism is presented as a valid choice. Max is clear that he’s alloromantic and he’s willing to meet Tom where he’s at and happy to just keep things to their D/s relationship. But at a certain point, he would want more. I'm not aromantic and can’t say how any of this was handled. It’s my understanding that unhealthy prior relationships can be conflated with why someone might be aromantic so aro readers may want to proceed with caution while reading. The author shared this Twitter thread about Tom. He’s not explicitly labeled as demiromantic on page by the book’s end so it was good to have this context. They were trying to work through some things via the character, which may explain why I wanted a bit more from this exploration.
The only other thing I want to note is the lack of boundaries a couple of Max’s friends had. One in particular asked overly invasive questions about Max and Tom’s relationship, especially when they first got together and hadn’t decided if they were actually dating. And at the end she asked when they’re going to get married. It’s so rude and none of their business. You don’t know what conversations people have had in their dating relationship! Not everyone wants to get married! This really bothered me and I couldn’t believe Max didn’t push back on it and put them in their place, especially in the epilogue.
Character notes: Max is a 39 year old white pansexual French-Canadian (Quebecois) linguistics professor. He’s a service top Dom and a sadist and he plays hockey in a beer league team. Tom is a 36 year old white gay demiromantic lawyer. He’s a sub and a masochist. This is set in Laurelsburg, PA.
CW: past sexual/relationship trauma, past unwelcome humiliation play, past sexual assault , pain play, gendered insults, alcohol, references to divorce cases
I quite appreciated the inventiveness of the BDSM scenes. People who are into BDSM are capable of "vanilla" sex too, which is often a missing component of BDSM romance. The first time they make love was so powerful because it was a first for Tom but also because it showed them negotiating a new step in their relationship from D/s to something possibly more.
My only hesitation in giving it 5 stars has to do with the aro rep. Tom isn’t sure if he’s aromantic or demiromantic or none of the above. He’s never experienced a healthy D/s relationship before Max, which has given him some understandable issues to work through so I never thought he was actually aromantic. But we don't see if he investigates more about what being aro or demi would look like so that would have been helpful. Aromanticism is presented as a valid choice. Max is clear that he’s alloromantic and he’s willing to meet Tom where he’s at and happy to just keep things to their D/s relationship. But at a certain point, he would want more. I'm not aromantic and can’t say how any of this was handled. It’s my understanding that unhealthy prior relationships can be conflated with why someone might be aromantic so aro readers may want to proceed with caution while reading. The author shared this Twitter thread about Tom. He’s not explicitly labeled as demiromantic on page by the book’s end so it was good to have this context. They were trying to work through some things via the character, which may explain why I wanted a bit more from this exploration.
The only other thing I want to note is the lack of boundaries a couple of Max’s friends had. One in particular asked overly invasive questions about Max and Tom’s relationship, especially when they first got together and hadn’t decided if they were actually dating. And at the end she asked when they’re going to get married. It’s so rude and none of their business. You don’t know what conversations people have had in their dating relationship! Not everyone wants to get married! This really bothered me and I couldn’t believe Max didn’t push back on it and put them in their place, especially in the epilogue.
Character notes: Max is a 39 year old white pansexual French-Canadian (Quebecois) linguistics professor. He’s a service top Dom and a sadist and he plays hockey in a beer league team. Tom is a 36 year old white gay demiromantic lawyer. He’s a sub and a masochist. This is set in Laurelsburg, PA.
CW: past sexual/relationship trauma, past unwelcome humiliation play, past sexual assault , pain play, gendered insults, alcohol, references to divorce cases
April 26, 2021
So I really, really liked this and it's incredibly hot as all of Zabo's books are. My only quibble, and it's an interesting one that I've seen a few twitter threads on that have made me think, but on some level I just don't get the label haggling that one of the main characters goes through? I understood that he hadn't felt like this before and it was a relationship unlike any he'd been in before, but trying to label it seemed like it was causing him so much stress, that I just wanted it put aside. I think labels can be incredibly important and clarifying for people, but also maybe when they're not, that's okay too? I don't know. This is just me trying to think through that part of the book for myself.
(I would also add that this was maybe heading towards my own personal BDSM reading lines? Like it was fine, but not sure I could handle more. Just wanted to mention that.)
(I would also add that this was maybe heading towards my own personal BDSM reading lines? Like it was fine, but not sure I could handle more. Just wanted to mention that.)
July 16, 2021
3.5 stars rounded down.
I really like how the characters maturely talk and work through their problems, rather than there being a big unnecessary blowup at 80%.
There were two main kink sex scenes, and then a bunch of “we had sex and it was kinky” or “we had sex and it was nice.” It felt like we were summarizing a lot of their relationship, rather than seeing it. A bit clinical.
Max did feel a bit too perfect (he keeps insisting he has flaws, but we never see any). I enjoyed seeing Tom gradually open himself up to their relationship, even if his freakouts got a tad repetitive.
Contains: D/s, impact and pain play, orgasm denial, semi public sex (office), bondage, gag, collar, misc toys, mirrors, consent porn
Steam: 4/5🔥
I really like how the characters maturely talk and work through their problems, rather than there being a big unnecessary blowup at 80%.
There were two main kink sex scenes, and then a bunch of “we had sex and it was kinky” or “we had sex and it was nice.” It felt like we were summarizing a lot of their relationship, rather than seeing it. A bit clinical.
Max did feel a bit too perfect (he keeps insisting he has flaws, but we never see any). I enjoyed seeing Tom gradually open himself up to their relationship, even if his freakouts got a tad repetitive.
Contains: D/s, impact and pain play, orgasm denial, semi public sex (office), bondage, gag, collar, misc toys, mirrors, consent porn
Steam: 4/5🔥
June 18, 2021
This cements it - Zabo is one of my favorite romance authors. I love their characters, how every intimate scene furthers the relationship, and how they threw everything they love into this book. We have baking and hockey and kink... and on top of all that they prove that a sadist can indeed be a cinnamon roll. More in-depth thoughts in this wrap up but it boils down to all the love.
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Content notes: bondage, pain play, dominance and submission, past sexual/relationship trauma, more complete notes in the author's review
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Content notes: bondage, pain play, dominance and submission, past sexual/relationship trauma, more complete notes in the author's review
April 15, 2021
This one was a delight! So good both as a stand alone and as part of the series. It has that special place where you get so into the book that when the characters start talking food you start to think "well, a cinnamon roll does sound nice". So, as I couldn't have a hot, sweet man tailored to my needs (and have no yeast in my kitchen), I ended with cinnamon pancakes instead.
Lucky Tom!
Lucky Tom!
zz-dnf
April 7, 2022DNF @ 16%
Read
May 14, 2024Me: I've been thinking about how there's not a 1:1 relationship between thought and language for a long time now
Cinnamon Roll: would you like to think about that via kink as metaphor?
Me: boy howdy would I! And maybe we could foray into how we societally consent to pragmatics? And how language can be a core part of personhood, even when we don't have a way to make sense of our thoughts internally, let alone externally? And maybe we could parallel societal linguistic consent and interpersonal kink consent? All while being so kind? And eating incredible metaphorical food? 👉👈
Cinnamon Roll: I got you, boo
Me: 😊🥰
Max is a cinnamon roll, too good, too pure for this world. But he has just the right bite for Tom. They scene, go ice skating, make love, and eat food together. I'm obsessed with Max's kindness and his fervent defense of friendships as equally valid to romantic partnerships. I'm enamored with how he and Tom peace through kink and how Tom starts taking up space. I'm kicky feeling about how they distinctly express a shared need to be good enough and how they validate each other. And I'm thrilled to fuckin bits that this book is about a linguist who speaks four languages and a lawyer who argued about words for a living while also kinkily exploring how we make meaningful language and language meaningful.
tl;dr this book ate and left no crumbs
Cinnamon Roll: would you like to think about that via kink as metaphor?
Me: boy howdy would I! And maybe we could foray into how we societally consent to pragmatics? And how language can be a core part of personhood, even when we don't have a way to make sense of our thoughts internally, let alone externally? And maybe we could parallel societal linguistic consent and interpersonal kink consent? All while being so kind? And eating incredible metaphorical food? 👉👈
Cinnamon Roll: I got you, boo
Me: 😊🥰
Max is a cinnamon roll, too good, too pure for this world. But he has just the right bite for Tom. They scene, go ice skating, make love, and eat food together. I'm obsessed with Max's kindness and his fervent defense of friendships as equally valid to romantic partnerships. I'm enamored with how he and Tom peace through kink and how Tom starts taking up space. I'm kicky feeling about how they distinctly express a shared need to be good enough and how they validate each other. And I'm thrilled to fuckin bits that this book is about a linguist who speaks four languages and a lawyer who argued about words for a living while also kinkily exploring how we make meaningful language and language meaningful.
tl;dr this book ate and left no crumbs
There were two different conversations happening simultaneously, one in each of their minds.
Language was complex, a set of ideas imbedded into sounds, pictures, or motions. Some people needed labels and names to map out their inner workings, but others didn’t. Sometimes the language a person knew didn’t house concepts for what they felt, and left them without a way to describe their emotions or state of being.
Max had learned from his parents that you could only tend to the day at hand. Bake the bread and make the pastries with the ingredients they had. The sun would rise and set regardless of the past or the future. Focus on what you had in front of you.
April 20, 2025
tom cedric, you deserve the world <3333
omfg. this was literally so perfect. truly obsessed with max and how much care he gave tom. i appreciated how tom was aware of his sort of self sabotage with max because he'd never been treated so kindly and he talked it out with his friends but also was upfront with max. like where he says "my original plan was to break up with you" when he's confronted with how fast his feelings are developing. i liked the idea that both tom and max have sort of run in the same circle for a really long time but had never talked. they were always aware of each other but they both had reasons for not pursuing earlier. max was such a juxtaposition with how sweet he was (truly a service top omg) but how he could switch and give tom that roughness he wanted.
they were really such a good couple, and i loved that at the end it wasn't just like ok happily ever after but it was tom still sort of not being fully comfortable with his feelings and how strong they were for max but acknowledging that he wanted to be with max and he might be a work in progress but he knew he didn't want to lose what he had with max.
also their ice skating date was literally so cute.
omfg. this was literally so perfect. truly obsessed with max and how much care he gave tom. i appreciated how tom was aware of his sort of self sabotage with max because he'd never been treated so kindly and he talked it out with his friends but also was upfront with max. like where he says "my original plan was to break up with you" when he's confronted with how fast his feelings are developing. i liked the idea that both tom and max have sort of run in the same circle for a really long time but had never talked. they were always aware of each other but they both had reasons for not pursuing earlier. max was such a juxtaposition with how sweet he was (truly a service top omg) but how he could switch and give tom that roughness he wanted.
they were really such a good couple, and i loved that at the end it wasn't just like ok happily ever after but it was tom still sort of not being fully comfortable with his feelings and how strong they were for max but acknowledging that he wanted to be with max and he might be a work in progress but he knew he didn't want to lose what he had with max.
also their ice skating date was literally so cute.
April 26, 2021
This Cinnamon Roll was just what I needed!! And I had no idea until I picked this up from KU on a whim. But my week has been full of work, personal angst, writing angst, etc. And this book was a really low-angst M/M BDSM love story featuring a hot professor, hockey-playing, pastry-baking, Cinnamon Roll dom, Max. And hot lawyer, sub, masochist, definitely-not-looking-for-love, Tom. It was the perfect comfort read because a cinnamon roll dom is basically the best fantasy ever IMO. Definitely Stern Brunch Daddy adjacent, and I would argue, maybe exactly the same energy. But there's so much care, respect, comfort, and consent here. Plus, handmade french pastries, ice skating dates, meddling matchmaker friends, and all the kink. What's not to love? 🤷🏼♀️ This book is part of a series, but written by all different authors, so I think you're fine to jump in anywhere.
July 15, 2022
Overall, I liked CINNAMON ROLL but I do feel that it was a bit too long and the slower, softer pace didn't help with that. Both Max and Tom are likable characters with realistic flaws, even the near perfect cinnamon roll that is Max. Together they make a great couple and I did love seeing Tom learn that he was worth respect and consideration from not just a Dom but any lover. While I found the plot a bit boring at times (I'm sorry I just don't love foodie romances) I do think the kink was top notch and a great look at impact play.
Content Warning: discussions about Tom's past Dom's ignoring his boundaries and in some cases causing trauma; pain play
Content Warning: discussions about Tom's past Dom's ignoring his boundaries and in some cases causing trauma; pain play
April 20, 2021
Max and Tom are super sweet and hot together! There is a lot of kink, a dash of angst, and so much sweetness my heart near exploded. I loved the way the D/s relationship was depicted in this one - there is consent, understanding, respect, and a lot of tenderness. It’s a great balance between delicious kinky goodness and all the sweet, gooey cinnamon roll, heart-eyed romance. A fantastic addition to the Bold Brew world!
November 4, 2021
2.5-3 stars
Michael Ferraioulo is always a great narrator to listen to.
This book… I was wanting something more to happen. The thing was Toms fear of love or letting people get close since he’s been in horrible relationships before Max…
Overall okay but forgettable read.. bummed because I really enjoyed “syncopation”…
Michael Ferraioulo is always a great narrator to listen to.
This book… I was wanting something more to happen. The thing was Toms fear of love or letting people get close since he’s been in horrible relationships before Max…
Overall okay but forgettable read.. bummed because I really enjoyed “syncopation”…
Read
July 12, 2022Aaahhhh this book. Love it.
May 15, 2022
Beautiful book!
A cinnamon roll dom who plays hockey and that cooks and bakes??? SIGN ME IN!
The characters are so sweet, and I loved how consent was a big part in the book. Also, a bonus for me was all the mentions of some of my personal favorite subjects in books: food, baked goods, and hockey ❤
I think it's my fav of the series.
A cinnamon roll dom who plays hockey and that cooks and bakes??? SIGN ME IN!
The characters are so sweet, and I loved how consent was a big part in the book. Also, a bonus for me was all the mentions of some of my personal favorite subjects in books: food, baked goods, and hockey ❤
I think it's my fav of the series.
April 6, 2021
I am on a streak of extraordinarily good books. Anna Zabo is a phenomenally good writer. I know kinky queer romance isn’t everyone’s bag, but Zabo is such a good writer I want everybody to read them. They write so beautifully I have been unable to review their novella, Weave the Dark, Weave the Light because it is beyond my ability to describe. I can only say the language cuts you like a knife and then you say thank you.
Maxime and Tom have circled each other for years, part of the same queer kink community, but making sure to never interact. Tom is a sub who likes pain and sex. Max is a Dom and a sadist who believes in love and boundaries. Their shared circle of acquaintances has been collectively scratching their heads about why they have never gotten together.
I keep coming back to the first chapter of Cinnamon Roll because it is perfect. It sets up the rest of the book and hooked me so hard I was completely invested in Tom and Max’s relationship long before they ever kissed. All of the elements to their relationship are laid out in this first meeting: the attraction, the flirting, the common ground, the pathos, and the insecurities that will be the road blocks to their relationship. Zabo also uses my love language – food and drink. Max opens the door for Tom to engage by sending him a cappuccino dusted with cinnamon sugar. All of their major conversations are around a meal or a beverage. I find this enormously relatable.
One of the common themes in the books I’ve read lately is getting to a point where a character feels safe enough to ask for what they want. Max wants to show Tom that consent, respect and care taking goes both ways in a power exchange relationship, and for himself he wants Tom as his long term partner. Tom has experienced where toxic masculinity will take power exchange (no place good) and now he has to get to a place where he believes that what he wants is important. The nature of power exchange means that Max has to be very careful about when and how he asks for what he wants. Cinnamon Roll is about two men creating a safe space for each other, not overcoming an outside force.
What I’m saying is, in far too many words, Anna Zabo continues to write beautiful queer romances with consensual kink. I love the way they use words to build rich characters and living worlds. If you have never read a queer romance and want to start on a high note, check them out.
Maxime and Tom have circled each other for years, part of the same queer kink community, but making sure to never interact. Tom is a sub who likes pain and sex. Max is a Dom and a sadist who believes in love and boundaries. Their shared circle of acquaintances has been collectively scratching their heads about why they have never gotten together.
I keep coming back to the first chapter of Cinnamon Roll because it is perfect. It sets up the rest of the book and hooked me so hard I was completely invested in Tom and Max’s relationship long before they ever kissed. All of the elements to their relationship are laid out in this first meeting: the attraction, the flirting, the common ground, the pathos, and the insecurities that will be the road blocks to their relationship. Zabo also uses my love language – food and drink. Max opens the door for Tom to engage by sending him a cappuccino dusted with cinnamon sugar. All of their major conversations are around a meal or a beverage. I find this enormously relatable.
One of the common themes in the books I’ve read lately is getting to a point where a character feels safe enough to ask for what they want. Max wants to show Tom that consent, respect and care taking goes both ways in a power exchange relationship, and for himself he wants Tom as his long term partner. Tom has experienced where toxic masculinity will take power exchange (no place good) and now he has to get to a place where he believes that what he wants is important. The nature of power exchange means that Max has to be very careful about when and how he asks for what he wants. Cinnamon Roll is about two men creating a safe space for each other, not overcoming an outside force.
What I’m saying is, in far too many words, Anna Zabo continues to write beautiful queer romances with consensual kink. I love the way they use words to build rich characters and living worlds. If you have never read a queer romance and want to start on a high note, check them out.
March 15, 2024
3rd read - paperback
this is probably my favorite book by anna zabo so far. i just love everything about it. every time i reread it, it hits different.
“He doesn't want gentle. He deserves kind, though.”
the arospec/questioning aspect of tom's identity made me feel very seen. and it's very powerful to see him connect with someone that cares so much, that respects where he is at, that doesn't push for things he can't give.
“I'm not used to someone kissing me like this.”
“Like what?”
“I don't know-like you care, I guess?”
max is a delight of compassion, of strenght, and it's adorable to see tom treating him with the same care. i loved seeing a sub checkin in with a dom, extending that respect and that communication that makes a relationship great and solid.
2nd read - ebook
whenever i reread an excellent book, i always worry that it might not be as good as the first time. that wasn't the case with this one.
“You’re a beautiful, intelligent, expressive man. A gift. I care, Tom, and I’m mad because I shouldn’t be the first person to tell you this, or who wants kink and sex to be good for you, as well.”
Anna Zabo knows how to write characters that feel complex, complete and imperfect. Tom has so much baggage about love, relationships and kink and Max is the first person to take the time to unpack this with him. There is something so precious about a partner being so understanding and not pressuring the other one into any kind of attachment.
" Max feeding him had made him feel warm and safe, almost like Max holding him down and fucking him had. "
You get kink, hockey, friendship, and two people who had been in each other's orbits for year before giving a chance at getting to know each other. this was the best book of the whole series, no doubt about it. And one of my personnal Anna Zabo favorites.
" The point is, when you find a label, or if you decide you want something more, or less, or different from what we have right now, I’ll be here. You can take your time.”
this is probably my favorite book by anna zabo so far. i just love everything about it. every time i reread it, it hits different.
“He doesn't want gentle. He deserves kind, though.”
the arospec/questioning aspect of tom's identity made me feel very seen. and it's very powerful to see him connect with someone that cares so much, that respects where he is at, that doesn't push for things he can't give.
“I'm not used to someone kissing me like this.”
“Like what?”
“I don't know-like you care, I guess?”
max is a delight of compassion, of strenght, and it's adorable to see tom treating him with the same care. i loved seeing a sub checkin in with a dom, extending that respect and that communication that makes a relationship great and solid.
2nd read - ebook
whenever i reread an excellent book, i always worry that it might not be as good as the first time. that wasn't the case with this one.
“You’re a beautiful, intelligent, expressive man. A gift. I care, Tom, and I’m mad because I shouldn’t be the first person to tell you this, or who wants kink and sex to be good for you, as well.”
Anna Zabo knows how to write characters that feel complex, complete and imperfect. Tom has so much baggage about love, relationships and kink and Max is the first person to take the time to unpack this with him. There is something so precious about a partner being so understanding and not pressuring the other one into any kind of attachment.
" Max feeding him had made him feel warm and safe, almost like Max holding him down and fucking him had. "
You get kink, hockey, friendship, and two people who had been in each other's orbits for year before giving a chance at getting to know each other. this was the best book of the whole series, no doubt about it. And one of my personnal Anna Zabo favorites.
" The point is, when you find a label, or if you decide you want something more, or less, or different from what we have right now, I’ll be here. You can take your time.”
April 25, 2021
DNFed at 69% although I like this author. One of the heroes - the titular cinnamon roll - is so perfect it’s nearly over the top. He’s a professor who can cook, plays hockey, speaks four languages, renovated a big old house by hand, is swooningly handsome, refuses to sleep with students, etc. The other hero is ...dull. He has no hobbies, his apartment is an undecorated mancave, he doesn’t appear to have any interests beyond work as a divorce lawyer and sex.
Aside from their kinks lining up nicely, I don’t see what the cinnamon roll professor sees in the dull lawyer.
Sadly the story is told from the lawyer’s perspective which I felt did it no favors. So, I bailed.
Aside from their kinks lining up nicely, I don’t see what the cinnamon roll professor sees in the dull lawyer.
Sadly the story is told from the lawyer’s perspective which I felt did it no favors. So, I bailed.
January 30, 2022
PWP is not actually a thing outside of fanfic, but I will say that the ratio of stuff happening to sex in this book surprised me. The plot was “can these two nudniks realize they’re actually normal and really good for each other” and also a quiet rant on the part of Zabo about what, fundamentally, makes a good dom. It’s not a how-to guide, although it’s definitely an argument.
The romance novel is a polemic. Change my mind.
(Why is everyone at the ND coffee shop into kink?)
Having said that, I think I’ve finally run through all of Zabo’s back catalogue that immediately interests me so I may actually get some other books read.)
The romance novel is a polemic. Change my mind.
(Why is everyone at the ND coffee shop into kink?)
Having said that, I think I’ve finally run through all of Zabo’s back catalogue that immediately interests me so I may actually get some other books read.)
April 2, 2023
5 stars!
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