What do you think?
Rate this book
Healing #2
Hot Cargo
Captured and accused of piracy, privateer Blaise Risner, captain of the Golden Stallion, finds himself in a clinch - literally - with Confederation Admiral Peter Keller, who promises to see justice done by way of hard labor. But when the chemistry between them rivals the heat of the twin Talixin suns, the dominant admiral decides he wants to handle the rehabilitation of the provocative pirate himself. After their first close encounter, Blaise figures that serving Keller in such a personal capacity won't be such a terrible sentence.
Keller dispenses his own forms of painful justice and sensual discipline, which usually involve a not-so-resistant Blaise on his knees bound and determined to give as good as he gets. The privateer can't deny that suffering the handsome admiral's punishments makes him burn like the fires of the Horsehead Nebula. Serving in the roles of prisoner and captor defines their 'relationship', but no power can stop a shooting star ... the star of startling passion that flares every time they touch.
Just when Blaise thinks he can navigate the treacherous asteroid field of emotion to find common ground with Keller, an interstellar war tears them apart. Through it all, Blaise's desire for his captor stands as tall and strong as the monoliths of Maraven, and he'll go to the very edge of the galaxy and back if that's what it takes to crack the ice around the admiral's heart.
Keller dispenses his own forms of painful justice and sensual discipline, which usually involve a not-so-resistant Blaise on his knees bound and determined to give as good as he gets. The privateer can't deny that suffering the handsome admiral's punishments makes him burn like the fires of the Horsehead Nebula. Serving in the roles of prisoner and captor defines their 'relationship', but no power can stop a shooting star ... the star of startling passion that flares every time they touch.
Just when Blaise thinks he can navigate the treacherous asteroid field of emotion to find common ground with Keller, an interstellar war tears them apart. Through it all, Blaise's desire for his captor stands as tall and strong as the monoliths of Maraven, and he'll go to the very edge of the galaxy and back if that's what it takes to crack the ice around the admiral's heart.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Bennett
40 books68 followersGrowing up in Chicago, Nicki Bennett spent every Saturday at the central library, losing herself in the world of books. A voracious reader, she eventually found it difficult to find enough of the kind of stories she liked to read and decided to start writing them herself.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 16, 2013
The concept of sexual tension is lost on this author. You are my prisoner so suck my ........ Yeh, why not. Stupid book.
July 19, 2012
Totally hot read - definitely a guilty pleasure. No, it's not high literature. It isn't meant to be. But if you love hot, kinky sex with a dub-con/captor-captive plot, this is about as hot as it gets! It's also well-written, with lots of tongue-in-cheek references to sci fi and even the romance genre. The HEA is sweet, the sex is creative and hot as hell.
One caveat: probably not for reading on an airplane, with someone looking over your shoulder unless you want to raise a few eyebrows!
One caveat: probably not for reading on an airplane, with someone looking over your shoulder unless you want to raise a few eyebrows!
August 15, 2022
I am not sure what to think about the book. To me it was a hard read, being a PWP (I like BDSM but this was just too much, too meaningless for too many pages) which was followed by a long streak of dumb misunderstandings with a grand finale of utter mush. 1.5 stars.
August 30, 2009
The blurb is not only misleading but it’s not a good representation of a book that is entertaining and highly erotic with a BDSM kink neither too heavy nor overwhelming. Blaise Risner is a privateer that has turned to smuggling as a way to make ends meet when legitimate shipping fees became too much for him to continue legally. Blaise is caught when Admiral Peter Keller’s ship starts to crack down on pirates, blaming them for recent unprovoked attacks on planets, ships, and innocent scientists.
Peter is in space for long periods of time and gets his sexual needs filled by taking prisoners on board and forcing them to serve him as his sexual submissive in place of their punishment. As it’s been a while since he had a sexual slave he decides to assign Blaise to his ship for the duration of his “punishment” and begins a BDSM tinged kinky journey with the pirate. Soon though, both men are enjoying the connection and are only playing at keeping up the pretense of who is in charge and who is submissive. For those uneasy about the BDSM component, it’s not very heavy other than Peter’s clear domination and Blaise is a willing partner for the most part.
The book seems to be divided into two parts and unfortunately Peter is not a sympathetic character or ultimately a likable one for the first half of the book. His initial use of Blaise was discomforting, though his captive enjoyed the sex Peter was clearly the dominant and didn’t allow Blaise the choice of saying no or disagreeing with anything Peter demanded or ordered. As their sexual relationship continues, Peter clings to the illusion of being in charge and therefore takes advantage of Blaise numerous times. Peter often “punishes” Blaise as a way to work through his own frustration and anger and although Peter recognizes this as wrong and occasionally feels bad, it doesn’t prevent Peter from repeating this pattern often.
Furthermore when Blaise is shaken and hurt from a nightmare, Peter’s selfish response ranges from unreasonable jealousy as Blaise recounts the death of his close friend to anger that Blaise didn’t give him information about the space invaders sooner ~ let’s not focus on the fact that your lover is recounting a humiliating and painful torture he received at said invaders’ hands ~ then finally Peter falls asleep because he has better things to think about. His lover’s emotional and mental health is clearly not important to him, a theme that is repeated throughout the story.
The authors attempt to show Peter as someone hiding from past experiences and afraid of his own reaction and feelings to Blaise. While this certainly came through, Peter’s unrelenting selfishness overwhelmed his weak justifications. He never once questions his own actions when faced with the knowledge of Blaise’s past treatment, instead is jealous of the man who took care of Blaise and helped him recover. Peter’s single minded focus to find the space invaders never once takes into consideration that these creatures tortured his lover and thus Blaise is understandably uneasy. Peter focuses on the fact that Blaise should be willing to help him unconditionally if only Blaise truly cared.
These miscommunications are riddled in the first half of the story; yet disappear completely in the second half after Peter becomes injured. At this point, both the subplot of the space attacks and the relationship between Peter and Blaise seem to drag with the majority of the relationship building having taken place within the erotic sexual encounters between the men. As there is little interaction outside the bedroom, Peter and Blaise’s feelings build through their mutual chemistry and desire. They seem to communicate through sex and thus the sudden lack of both their sexual encounters and fast moving fights, the story seems to drag until they meet up again and live happily ever after. The subplot of space invaders is ignored with a few references to an easy resolution and the story in general would have benefited from being shorter with a tighter, more defined pace and progression.
Blaise’s character was well defined with his charming and engaging personality. His strength and charisma created a likable and relatable character with his range of emotions from desire to more depth inviting as his feelings became deeper. His past was somewhat vague but just enough to give a fuller image of the man with his fiery temperament. Although his attraction to Peter is initially based on mind-blowing sex, his reasons for attaching himself to the older man are clear, even if Peter’s actions appear uncaring. It’s evident why Blaise sees through Peter and tolerates his actions, as disagreeable as some are. Unfortunately Blaise seems to fall apart slightly in the second half of the book with his notable personality falling flat and becomes alternately insecure and demanding. One moment he needs reassurance, the next he already knows the truth and doesn’t need to hear it anymore.
Overall this book definitely had high points and while it certainly had its share of overly flowery prose, the story was easy and readable, if slightly too long. The dichotomy of the character’s personalities between the first and second half of the book led to a disjointed feeling and Peter was not a shining example of a wonderful character, yet most of the story was fast paced, engaging and highly erotic. The science fiction/space setting didn’t add much to the story so those not wanting a heavy space epic won't be bothered. This story satisfies those looking for scorching hot sexual chemistry with combustible personalities adding a splash of BDSM and science fiction thrown in for flavor.
Peter is in space for long periods of time and gets his sexual needs filled by taking prisoners on board and forcing them to serve him as his sexual submissive in place of their punishment. As it’s been a while since he had a sexual slave he decides to assign Blaise to his ship for the duration of his “punishment” and begins a BDSM tinged kinky journey with the pirate. Soon though, both men are enjoying the connection and are only playing at keeping up the pretense of who is in charge and who is submissive. For those uneasy about the BDSM component, it’s not very heavy other than Peter’s clear domination and Blaise is a willing partner for the most part.
The book seems to be divided into two parts and unfortunately Peter is not a sympathetic character or ultimately a likable one for the first half of the book. His initial use of Blaise was discomforting, though his captive enjoyed the sex Peter was clearly the dominant and didn’t allow Blaise the choice of saying no or disagreeing with anything Peter demanded or ordered. As their sexual relationship continues, Peter clings to the illusion of being in charge and therefore takes advantage of Blaise numerous times. Peter often “punishes” Blaise as a way to work through his own frustration and anger and although Peter recognizes this as wrong and occasionally feels bad, it doesn’t prevent Peter from repeating this pattern often.
Furthermore when Blaise is shaken and hurt from a nightmare, Peter’s selfish response ranges from unreasonable jealousy as Blaise recounts the death of his close friend to anger that Blaise didn’t give him information about the space invaders sooner ~ let’s not focus on the fact that your lover is recounting a humiliating and painful torture he received at said invaders’ hands ~ then finally Peter falls asleep because he has better things to think about. His lover’s emotional and mental health is clearly not important to him, a theme that is repeated throughout the story.
The authors attempt to show Peter as someone hiding from past experiences and afraid of his own reaction and feelings to Blaise. While this certainly came through, Peter’s unrelenting selfishness overwhelmed his weak justifications. He never once questions his own actions when faced with the knowledge of Blaise’s past treatment, instead is jealous of the man who took care of Blaise and helped him recover. Peter’s single minded focus to find the space invaders never once takes into consideration that these creatures tortured his lover and thus Blaise is understandably uneasy. Peter focuses on the fact that Blaise should be willing to help him unconditionally if only Blaise truly cared.
These miscommunications are riddled in the first half of the story; yet disappear completely in the second half after Peter becomes injured. At this point, both the subplot of the space attacks and the relationship between Peter and Blaise seem to drag with the majority of the relationship building having taken place within the erotic sexual encounters between the men. As there is little interaction outside the bedroom, Peter and Blaise’s feelings build through their mutual chemistry and desire. They seem to communicate through sex and thus the sudden lack of both their sexual encounters and fast moving fights, the story seems to drag until they meet up again and live happily ever after. The subplot of space invaders is ignored with a few references to an easy resolution and the story in general would have benefited from being shorter with a tighter, more defined pace and progression.
Blaise’s character was well defined with his charming and engaging personality. His strength and charisma created a likable and relatable character with his range of emotions from desire to more depth inviting as his feelings became deeper. His past was somewhat vague but just enough to give a fuller image of the man with his fiery temperament. Although his attraction to Peter is initially based on mind-blowing sex, his reasons for attaching himself to the older man are clear, even if Peter’s actions appear uncaring. It’s evident why Blaise sees through Peter and tolerates his actions, as disagreeable as some are. Unfortunately Blaise seems to fall apart slightly in the second half of the book with his notable personality falling flat and becomes alternately insecure and demanding. One moment he needs reassurance, the next he already knows the truth and doesn’t need to hear it anymore.
Overall this book definitely had high points and while it certainly had its share of overly flowery prose, the story was easy and readable, if slightly too long. The dichotomy of the character’s personalities between the first and second half of the book led to a disjointed feeling and Peter was not a shining example of a wonderful character, yet most of the story was fast paced, engaging and highly erotic. The science fiction/space setting didn’t add much to the story so those not wanting a heavy space epic won't be bothered. This story satisfies those looking for scorching hot sexual chemistry with combustible personalities adding a splash of BDSM and science fiction thrown in for flavor.
February 15, 2009
Both Admiral Keller and Blaise are attractive characters. Blaise's cockiness hid a vulnerability that I found adorable and while I did pause at the start of the story when the Admiral gave him a whack, the rest of the story was very different from that point on.
Blaise, a privateer, found himself captured and given over to the custody of Admiral Peter Keller. I guess my mind was still recalling the previous week's posts about physical abuse between protagonists and I thought this was going to be one of those (the authors are new to me) but Hot Cargo is actually a very touching romance between two men, both equally alpha in their ways. Blaise finds himself forced to play the submissive since he's the Admiral's prisoner (read sex slave) but even early on we see Keller's feelings for Blaise changing and Blaise himself wanting his captor yet fearful of rejection and so continues to hide behind his bravado.
There were some parts that I skipped because it went into the sci-fi techy bits and I wanted to get back to the relationship but it wasn't much. Most of the story revolves around Admiral Keller and Blaise's evolving feelings even as they have sex. And they have puh-lenty of sex. The action comes in the second half and this is what I like as page after page of sex does get boring for me. I enjoy sci-fi romances as much for the galactic shenanigans and star wars as for the sensuality set amid other worlds and Hot Cargo is one of those.
Blaise, a privateer, found himself captured and given over to the custody of Admiral Peter Keller. I guess my mind was still recalling the previous week's posts about physical abuse between protagonists and I thought this was going to be one of those (the authors are new to me) but Hot Cargo is actually a very touching romance between two men, both equally alpha in their ways. Blaise finds himself forced to play the submissive since he's the Admiral's prisoner (read sex slave) but even early on we see Keller's feelings for Blaise changing and Blaise himself wanting his captor yet fearful of rejection and so continues to hide behind his bravado.
There were some parts that I skipped because it went into the sci-fi techy bits and I wanted to get back to the relationship but it wasn't much. Most of the story revolves around Admiral Keller and Blaise's evolving feelings even as they have sex. And they have puh-lenty of sex. The action comes in the second half and this is what I like as page after page of sex does get boring for me. I enjoy sci-fi romances as much for the galactic shenanigans and star wars as for the sensuality set amid other worlds and Hot Cargo is one of those.
August 9, 2009
The Review:
Honesty from the outset~
I admit I prefer watching science fiction to reading it. *My name is Kris and I am a Trekkie.* The reason why is my brain totally switches off when an author gets too descriptive with techno geekness. Thankfully this was not the case with Hot Cargo and I was able to enjoy the sci fi theme for what it was.
First things first~
Call me superficial, but I have to say up front that the sex in this book is seriously down and dirty, rough and ready, hot. Granted there were a number of descriptions of 'thick cream coating insides' and 'flooding hot come' etc, still... Seriously. Hot.
Now I've got that out of the way... *g*
This author team has a way of writing that I found extremely easy to read. There are none of the glitches in tone which might make you think you're reading two separate stories or two distinct authors.
Although I know I must have, I can't think of the last time I read a story that incorporated chapter titles. It might seem like such a little thing, but I really loved them. They were a perfect capture of what the theme of each chapter was and, I think, assisted with the flow of the story, which does take place over an extended period of time.
Not really issues, but observations~
The blurb made me think this was BDSM. While it certainly does have these elements and Admiral Keller is definitely a top, to me it was more light and kinky than hard core. For those readers who are a bit hesitant about this lifestyle, I think the key phrase from the description of Hot Cargo is "which usually involve a not-so-resistant Blaise on his knees bound and determined to give as good as he gets".
Sex plays an important part in the developing relationship between the main characters. I was well into the story before I realised this and, once the light bulb went off, I had a deeper appreciation of what the authors had attempted to do.
A couple of issues~
I was comfortable with the knowledge I built up about Blaise as the story progressed. However, coming to the end of Hot Cargo, I found myself wanting to know more about Admiral Keller, especially about his past on Earth. There were some glimpses in the second half of the book and they intrigued me. A little more detail would have been satisfying.
I also wanted Blaise and the Admiral to fight more baddies. What can I say, I like me a space ship battle.
My recommendation~
An enjoyable book for those who like reading hot and kinky sex with a bonus dash of sci fi.
Honesty from the outset~
I admit I prefer watching science fiction to reading it. *My name is Kris and I am a Trekkie.* The reason why is my brain totally switches off when an author gets too descriptive with techno geekness. Thankfully this was not the case with Hot Cargo and I was able to enjoy the sci fi theme for what it was.
First things first~
Call me superficial, but I have to say up front that the sex in this book is seriously down and dirty, rough and ready, hot. Granted there were a number of descriptions of 'thick cream coating insides' and 'flooding hot come' etc, still... Seriously. Hot.
Now I've got that out of the way... *g*
This author team has a way of writing that I found extremely easy to read. There are none of the glitches in tone which might make you think you're reading two separate stories or two distinct authors.
Although I know I must have, I can't think of the last time I read a story that incorporated chapter titles. It might seem like such a little thing, but I really loved them. They were a perfect capture of what the theme of each chapter was and, I think, assisted with the flow of the story, which does take place over an extended period of time.
Not really issues, but observations~
The blurb made me think this was BDSM. While it certainly does have these elements and Admiral Keller is definitely a top, to me it was more light and kinky than hard core. For those readers who are a bit hesitant about this lifestyle, I think the key phrase from the description of Hot Cargo is "which usually involve a not-so-resistant Blaise on his knees bound and determined to give as good as he gets".
Sex plays an important part in the developing relationship between the main characters. I was well into the story before I realised this and, once the light bulb went off, I had a deeper appreciation of what the authors had attempted to do.
A couple of issues~
I was comfortable with the knowledge I built up about Blaise as the story progressed. However, coming to the end of Hot Cargo, I found myself wanting to know more about Admiral Keller, especially about his past on Earth. There were some glimpses in the second half of the book and they intrigued me. A little more detail would have been satisfying.
I also wanted Blaise and the Admiral to fight more baddies. What can I say, I like me a space ship battle.
My recommendation~
An enjoyable book for those who like reading hot and kinky sex with a bonus dash of sci fi.
February 3, 2015
My question- why do women seem so enthralled with rape scenes involving men? Do they even consider consent issues while they are reading?
This "romance" kicks off when one of the MCs arrests another for piracy. He has him handcuffed, jolts him with some electricity, and demands sexual submission. "Consent" involves the arrestee agreeing to go along willingly to avoid the pain and humiliation promised. At that point I stopped reading.
Rape scenes in books are one thing. Romanticized rape scenes, in which a rape victim falls in love with his/her rapist because he raped so well, is quite another. BDSM in which *willing and consenting* adults trade power between them is one thing. Hurting someone who has no option to say no is another. Stockholm syndrome is not love, it is a defense mechanism that allows the psyche to survive abuse.
I really really dislike these books.
I have decided that there are two types of female reader of m/m romance. One is the participant reader. This reader imagines herself as one of the participants. The other is the voyeuristic reader. This reader imagines watching the scenes from the sidelines.
I am a participant reader. I identify with the characters, and rape scenes are not pleasant for me to read. I will read them if they are important to the story, but I can't imagine myself falling in love with someone who has raped me in most cases. There are some authors who can pull off a realistic rape scene and turn it around, but most cannot. I certainly cannot imagine enjoying a rape just because the rapist touched me in the right places or said the right things. In fact, I am pretty sure I would be more traumatized. I imagine that those who enjoy these books are picturing the scene as an observer.
It has been theorized that the "good rape" scenes in het romance in the 70s/80s were due to women feeling that they could not say yes. They wanted the experience, but did not want to have to make the choice. Good rape is much less popular in het fiction these days, as our efforts to establish a woman's right to control her body take center stage.
So why have we decided it is OK to do it to men? Slavefic, rapefic, BDSM with no safewords- abuse of men in m/m erotica and romance is ubiquitous.
I didn't get past chapter 1. This isn't romance, it is horror.
This "romance" kicks off when one of the MCs arrests another for piracy. He has him handcuffed, jolts him with some electricity, and demands sexual submission. "Consent" involves the arrestee agreeing to go along willingly to avoid the pain and humiliation promised. At that point I stopped reading.
Rape scenes in books are one thing. Romanticized rape scenes, in which a rape victim falls in love with his/her rapist because he raped so well, is quite another. BDSM in which *willing and consenting* adults trade power between them is one thing. Hurting someone who has no option to say no is another. Stockholm syndrome is not love, it is a defense mechanism that allows the psyche to survive abuse.
I really really dislike these books.
I have decided that there are two types of female reader of m/m romance. One is the participant reader. This reader imagines herself as one of the participants. The other is the voyeuristic reader. This reader imagines watching the scenes from the sidelines.
I am a participant reader. I identify with the characters, and rape scenes are not pleasant for me to read. I will read them if they are important to the story, but I can't imagine myself falling in love with someone who has raped me in most cases. There are some authors who can pull off a realistic rape scene and turn it around, but most cannot. I certainly cannot imagine enjoying a rape just because the rapist touched me in the right places or said the right things. In fact, I am pretty sure I would be more traumatized. I imagine that those who enjoy these books are picturing the scene as an observer.
It has been theorized that the "good rape" scenes in het romance in the 70s/80s were due to women feeling that they could not say yes. They wanted the experience, but did not want to have to make the choice. Good rape is much less popular in het fiction these days, as our efforts to establish a woman's right to control her body take center stage.
So why have we decided it is OK to do it to men? Slavefic, rapefic, BDSM with no safewords- abuse of men in m/m erotica and romance is ubiquitous.
I didn't get past chapter 1. This isn't romance, it is horror.
September 27, 2022
There were a lot of things in this book I was actually prepared not to like, even though I've never not liked an Ariel Tachna book and I very much liked "Something About Harry".
First off, I've never understood or been engaged by the whole space-pirate-turned-sex-slave trope, and more times than not, that theme has caused me to close a book and never come back. Second, the fact that this is not the first time the main character, Peter has done this with a prisoner meant I was very unlikely to find him appealing, and he's the main love interest. That's two pretty heavy strikes against this book right off the bat. And, it's sci-fi. Not my preferred genre.
But, I knew all these things going in, and I wanted to see if a couple of my favorite authors could make a believer out of me. I'm not saying that I'll ever really seek out this particular scenario, but I will say this: success.
Somehow, in some way I haven't been quite been able to put my finger on, they succeeded in not turning me off. I believed Blaise was a willing participant, even while it was obvious he really wasn't being given a choice in anything that happened to him. And I believed that Peter might have some serious kinks, but he wasn't a bad person.
So while I won't tell you what happened, I will tell you, if you've been hesitating for the same reasons I was, it might be worth the risk of giving this one a try. You might still not like it, but I know I sure did, and that surprised the heck out of me. For anyone who likes the trope, sci-fi, BDSM, power exchange, and hasn't read it, well. Do it now.
First off, I've never understood or been engaged by the whole space-pirate-turned-sex-slave trope, and more times than not, that theme has caused me to close a book and never come back. Second, the fact that this is not the first time the main character, Peter has done this with a prisoner meant I was very unlikely to find him appealing, and he's the main love interest. That's two pretty heavy strikes against this book right off the bat. And, it's sci-fi. Not my preferred genre.
But, I knew all these things going in, and I wanted to see if a couple of my favorite authors could make a believer out of me. I'm not saying that I'll ever really seek out this particular scenario, but I will say this: success.
Somehow, in some way I haven't been quite been able to put my finger on, they succeeded in not turning me off. I believed Blaise was a willing participant, even while it was obvious he really wasn't being given a choice in anything that happened to him. And I believed that Peter might have some serious kinks, but he wasn't a bad person.
So while I won't tell you what happened, I will tell you, if you've been hesitating for the same reasons I was, it might be worth the risk of giving this one a try. You might still not like it, but I know I sure did, and that surprised the heck out of me. For anyone who likes the trope, sci-fi, BDSM, power exchange, and hasn't read it, well. Do it now.
July 24, 2013
3.75 stars
Good book about two strong-minded and strong-willed men. I have somewhat reluctantly put it on my dubcon-noncon shelf. However, even though Blaise is a prisoner and Peter is overseeing his captivity, there is an attraction between them from the start, so the sexual activity is not unwelcomed by Blaise. IMO it's just some good ol' kinky sex with some hot toys and situations thrown in the mix.
Blaise and Peter did begin to frustrate me with their lack of communication, each of them assuming the worst about the other. If only they would talk things through! And I wish the storyline about the 'bad guys' had been more developed at the end, but overall this was a good book.
** I am glad that I read Healing in His Wings before this book, simply because the same two characters are important at the end of Hot Cargo. However, it is NOT necessary to read HiHW first.**
Good book about two strong-minded and strong-willed men. I have somewhat reluctantly put it on my dubcon-noncon shelf. However, even though Blaise is a prisoner and Peter is overseeing his captivity, there is an attraction between them from the start, so the sexual activity is not unwelcomed by Blaise. IMO it's just some good ol' kinky sex with some hot toys and situations thrown in the mix.
Blaise and Peter did begin to frustrate me with their lack of communication, each of them assuming the worst about the other. If only they would talk things through! And I wish the storyline about the 'bad guys' had been more developed at the end, but overall this was a good book.
** I am glad that I read Healing in His Wings before this book, simply because the same two characters are important at the end of Hot Cargo. However, it is NOT necessary to read HiHW first.**
December 29, 2011
I went in to this with high hopes
It had all I could ask:
a tortured Pirate hero
a space admiral
Outer space
war
spies
and two writers that I really like.
The ingredients for a great piratical space romp all lined up before me.
I was so disappointed.
I really liked Blaise and I eventually understood his need for pain to feel again (thsnk goodness he worked through that). BUT Peter is quite plainly a complete turd. He has a history of breaking men and having them prostitute themselves for him. His total abuse of power and others make him no hero in my eyes. He had no remorse or redemption.
Quite simply this was not the book I wanted to read, and I cannot recommend it. The writing style is great and reflects the talents of the writers in that respect, but I see no romance in Peter, and I was reading a sci-fi romance
It had all I could ask:
a tortured Pirate hero
a space admiral
Outer space
war
spies
and two writers that I really like.
The ingredients for a great piratical space romp all lined up before me.
I was so disappointed.
I really liked Blaise and I eventually understood his need for pain to feel again (thsnk goodness he worked through that). BUT Peter is quite plainly a complete turd. He has a history of breaking men and having them prostitute themselves for him. His total abuse of power and others make him no hero in my eyes. He had no remorse or redemption.
Quite simply this was not the book I wanted to read, and I cannot recommend it. The writing style is great and reflects the talents of the writers in that respect, but I see no romance in Peter, and I was reading a sci-fi romance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2010
I tried to like this book because I love both authors. I just could not like it no matter how much I tried. I didn't like Peter right off. I didn't like the fact he used his position to find his playthings. Another thing that bothered me was the fact a high justice knew and allowed it. I don't care about their "arrangement". Peter was upset when Blaise mentioned sexual harassment. In my mind, that's what it was. It should not have taken Blaise's birthday for him to realize he was being a jerk. As the book progressed, I tried to like Peter but still couldn't by the end. I guess I couldn't like the book well enough if I couldn't stand to read about one of the main characters.
I still love both authors and will continue to read them. This book was just a miss for me.
I still love both authors and will continue to read them. This book was just a miss for me.
January 2, 2016
I didn't love the way this story started. I'm not a big fan of dub-con/non-con but if I just go "la la la" and ignore how the sexual relationship between the MCs started then I could actually enjoy this story. I liked the sci-fi storyline and the sex was super hot.
April 15, 2021
What an absolutely silly, mindless read! I think being able to laugh at a book helped my reading slump.
Each chapter is mindless porn with a little bit of sci-fi sprinkled in, the characters are dumb, the world is nonexistent outside the bedroom, but what really made this book special was the format.
It reads as if the authors copy and pasted their Skype roleplay and rearranged it for publishing. Instead of every chapter being from a different perspective, every PARAGRAPH bounces back and forth between the characters, reiterating the actions from the previous paragraph and continuing on. Much like a web-based roleplay.
It's not badly written. There were few typos, but one that made me giggle was "aureoles" instead of "areolas." Ah yes, he's so special his nipples must be haloed by majestic light!
But the characters were boring and dumb. The overall plot was silly. What kind of military sends their prisoners to be abused by officers and everyone turns a blind eye? The more interesting story would be if Blaise was infiltrating this sex trafficking ring to take it down!
The big bad aliens were dismissed with a single paragraph. Maybe even a sentence. The porn was more descriptive than the plot, and I usually don't pay money for my porn without plot. So many free fics contain more interesting characters AND plot, and balance the porn nicely. So when you see those fics, make sure to leave comments and likes and kudos and whatever else to show that author you appreciate their hard work that they're sharing totally for free!
I'd also like to point out that a young "hunk" like on the cover would not be an admiral. You don't get promoted to admiral in, like, 3 years of service, no matter your pseudo-military. And the admiral's age is never mentioned.
Ah, silly MLM written by women, never stop being an oversaturated market with silly, silly books!
Each chapter is mindless porn with a little bit of sci-fi sprinkled in, the characters are dumb, the world is nonexistent outside the bedroom, but what really made this book special was the format.
It reads as if the authors copy and pasted their Skype roleplay and rearranged it for publishing. Instead of every chapter being from a different perspective, every PARAGRAPH bounces back and forth between the characters, reiterating the actions from the previous paragraph and continuing on. Much like a web-based roleplay.
It's not badly written. There were few typos, but one that made me giggle was "aureoles" instead of "areolas." Ah yes, he's so special his nipples must be haloed by majestic light!
But the characters were boring and dumb. The overall plot was silly. What kind of military sends their prisoners to be abused by officers and everyone turns a blind eye? The more interesting story would be if Blaise was infiltrating this sex trafficking ring to take it down!
The big bad aliens were dismissed with a single paragraph. Maybe even a sentence. The porn was more descriptive than the plot, and I usually don't pay money for my porn without plot. So many free fics contain more interesting characters AND plot, and balance the porn nicely. So when you see those fics, make sure to leave comments and likes and kudos and whatever else to show that author you appreciate their hard work that they're sharing totally for free!
I'd also like to point out that a young "hunk" like on the cover would not be an admiral. You don't get promoted to admiral in, like, 3 years of service, no matter your pseudo-military. And the admiral's age is never mentioned.
Ah, silly MLM written by women, never stop being an oversaturated market with silly, silly books!
August 20, 2018
Ok but too much sex, not enough action. For me anyway. I found myself skimming a lot
Read
May 19, 2009Blaise Risner, the captain of a small cargo ship, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Confederation Army is dealing with some nasty attack to their ship and space colony, and they blame the pirates, and so the attention is very high. In normal time, probably Blaise would skip the control, but now he is arrested for smuggling, piracy and other minor violation. Since he can't avoid to admit the smuggling crime, he tries to negotiate for the other two accusation and Admiral Peter Keller is willing to listen to him. Peter is not new to similar arrangements with his prisoners: a sentence to hard labor commuted to service him as personal assistant... very personal assistant. More the prisoners are stubborn, and more Peter likes to bend them (pun intended).
If you stick to the romance rules, what Peter does to Blaise could easily be classified as non consensual sex, since Blaise at first claims that, if he had a choice, he would have never submitted to Peter. But truth be told, he doesn't protest so much, and for what I can understand, he enjoyed every single encounter with Peter, even the first one. What I like of the story is that the sexual relationship evolves with them: at first it's obviously only sex, Peter has not a personal interest in Blaise if not since the man is an interesting sex partner that gives him a lot of satisfaction. But more they are together and more their relationship deepens, but always remaining primarily a sexual one: there is not many chances for Blaise or Peter to know each other other than in a sexual way, they don't speak a lot; who they are and what they like is all communicated through sex.
Peter is obviously the domineering character, even if he is not the stronger in a physical way, actually I have the feeling, even if I'm not sure, that he is even leaner and smaller than Blaise. But he has for sure the attitude of a leader and he is used to the command; he lives his personal life as he lead his spaceship: no one questions his orders. Problem is that, on the other side, Blaise instead has the classical behavior of a rebel, he is not used to be ordered around, but he will find out that, in some cases, he likes it. It's not clear if Blaise, before Peter, have already realized that he has a submissive nature in bed, but he will discover it with Peter. There is not doubt that in bed this two work in a very good way, all the trouble arrives when they are out of the bedroom. They are both very stubborn, and they don't know how to communicate; they arrive to hasty conclusion even before having taken the time to analyze all the possible side of a problem.
The book is quite long and it's a very classic futuristic novel, even if the reader has not many chances to see the two heroes among other people or outside the bedroom, but in the few cases when it happened, the setting is light and enjoyable, there is not the usual heavy use of detailed description to force the reader to understand a different and fictional world.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935192493/?...
If you stick to the romance rules, what Peter does to Blaise could easily be classified as non consensual sex, since Blaise at first claims that, if he had a choice, he would have never submitted to Peter. But truth be told, he doesn't protest so much, and for what I can understand, he enjoyed every single encounter with Peter, even the first one. What I like of the story is that the sexual relationship evolves with them: at first it's obviously only sex, Peter has not a personal interest in Blaise if not since the man is an interesting sex partner that gives him a lot of satisfaction. But more they are together and more their relationship deepens, but always remaining primarily a sexual one: there is not many chances for Blaise or Peter to know each other other than in a sexual way, they don't speak a lot; who they are and what they like is all communicated through sex.
Peter is obviously the domineering character, even if he is not the stronger in a physical way, actually I have the feeling, even if I'm not sure, that he is even leaner and smaller than Blaise. But he has for sure the attitude of a leader and he is used to the command; he lives his personal life as he lead his spaceship: no one questions his orders. Problem is that, on the other side, Blaise instead has the classical behavior of a rebel, he is not used to be ordered around, but he will find out that, in some cases, he likes it. It's not clear if Blaise, before Peter, have already realized that he has a submissive nature in bed, but he will discover it with Peter. There is not doubt that in bed this two work in a very good way, all the trouble arrives when they are out of the bedroom. They are both very stubborn, and they don't know how to communicate; they arrive to hasty conclusion even before having taken the time to analyze all the possible side of a problem.
The book is quite long and it's a very classic futuristic novel, even if the reader has not many chances to see the two heroes among other people or outside the bedroom, but in the few cases when it happened, the setting is light and enjoyable, there is not the usual heavy use of detailed description to force the reader to understand a different and fictional world.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935192493/?...
October 29, 2012
Okay plot with a sweet, slightly angsty romance and quite a bit of sex
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- Hot sex scenes (although the first couple are just a touch too coercive for me), including one particularly interesting one that takes place in zero gravity.
- I like the fact that some of the characters are mated with creatures who are of different species, especially Peter’s human friend Ryan and his bird-like mate, Juo.
- Just enough angst to make the characters’ reunion sweet, but not enough to depress me while I was reading it.
- Perfectly happy and settled ending. This is one in which every last detail is wrapped up (some of them a bit cursorily, it’s true, but still…) and the characters are blissfully happy and have a glorious future ahead of them.
CONS:
- POV that constantly switches from one character’s perspective to another’s. The writing style here is very similar to Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux’s writing: paragraph 1 is told from character A’s point of view, paragraph 2 is from B’s, paragraph 3 is back to A (or on to C, in some instances), etc. It’s quite confusing at times, because you’re unsure whether you’re reading character B’s thoughts or a perception of character B from A’s head.
- Numerous comparisons of feelings and common situations to sci-fi stuff that don’t mean a lot when you don’t know what the sci-fi references mean. Examples: “…stronger than the storms on Lambda Ophiuchi…”, “…like the twin suns of Gamma Cephei…”, “…as dry as the moons of Cerberus…” Sure, these give the book a decidedly sci-fi feel, but each time I encountered one of these comparisons, I thought something along these lines: “Exactly how dry ARE the moons of Cerberus?”
- Decent plot, but it fizzles out near the book’s end as the story’s focus shifts to the characters’ relationship. (The plot IS resolved, albeit offscreen.)
Overall comments: I enjoyed this quite a bit. The relationship moves gradually from dislike to enjoyment/friendship to love, and the plot isn’t fantastic, but it’s pretty good. There’s a lot of sex--probably a scene in just about every chapter--and it’s graphic, so if you want erotica, this is a good choice; if you don’t, you might find the frequency of sex scenes distracting.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 8/10
PROS:
- Hot sex scenes (although the first couple are just a touch too coercive for me), including one particularly interesting one that takes place in zero gravity.
- I like the fact that some of the characters are mated with creatures who are of different species, especially Peter’s human friend Ryan and his bird-like mate, Juo.
- Just enough angst to make the characters’ reunion sweet, but not enough to depress me while I was reading it.
- Perfectly happy and settled ending. This is one in which every last detail is wrapped up (some of them a bit cursorily, it’s true, but still…) and the characters are blissfully happy and have a glorious future ahead of them.
CONS:
- POV that constantly switches from one character’s perspective to another’s. The writing style here is very similar to Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux’s writing: paragraph 1 is told from character A’s point of view, paragraph 2 is from B’s, paragraph 3 is back to A (or on to C, in some instances), etc. It’s quite confusing at times, because you’re unsure whether you’re reading character B’s thoughts or a perception of character B from A’s head.
- Numerous comparisons of feelings and common situations to sci-fi stuff that don’t mean a lot when you don’t know what the sci-fi references mean. Examples: “…stronger than the storms on Lambda Ophiuchi…”, “…like the twin suns of Gamma Cephei…”, “…as dry as the moons of Cerberus…” Sure, these give the book a decidedly sci-fi feel, but each time I encountered one of these comparisons, I thought something along these lines: “Exactly how dry ARE the moons of Cerberus?”
- Decent plot, but it fizzles out near the book’s end as the story’s focus shifts to the characters’ relationship. (The plot IS resolved, albeit offscreen.)
Overall comments: I enjoyed this quite a bit. The relationship moves gradually from dislike to enjoyment/friendship to love, and the plot isn’t fantastic, but it’s pretty good. There’s a lot of sex--probably a scene in just about every chapter--and it’s graphic, so if you want erotica, this is a good choice; if you don’t, you might find the frequency of sex scenes distracting.
August 1, 2011
There are three definite 'sections' in this book, I felt ... the first, being the purely sexual-driven encounters between Peter and Blaise (and the slow budding of a relationship that happens despite it), the second, being the action against the Gavenelians, and the third being the repairing of the damage done by the two previous parts.
I have a feeling it started out as a smut-type novel and gradually branched out from there, for the better. I mean, it was hot and engaging in the beginning but the contradictions in each character sometimes made for a confusing read. Add to that the fact that the third-person POV kept changing every other paragraph, and some parts were hard to get through.
The third part, when Blaise and Peter separate and then struggle to come back together, showed a lot regarding their characters, but almost suddenly between one page and another they both began speaking openly with friends about their feelings, about what had happened, how much they loved each other and would have done anything ... etc etc. Their coming together again satisfied in that way that only truly likable characters can do, but was always a bit disappointing in my eyes because they were both declaring their love in a myriad of ways, repeating it in different ways every other sentence, and although it was sweet ... well, after the harsh manner of their starting point, and the continued strength during the relationship while Blaise was in custody, I can't help but feel that they both turned into lushes after.
Still, definitely an enjoyable read.
I have a feeling it started out as a smut-type novel and gradually branched out from there, for the better. I mean, it was hot and engaging in the beginning but the contradictions in each character sometimes made for a confusing read. Add to that the fact that the third-person POV kept changing every other paragraph, and some parts were hard to get through.
The third part, when Blaise and Peter separate and then struggle to come back together, showed a lot regarding their characters, but almost suddenly between one page and another they both began speaking openly with friends about their feelings, about what had happened, how much they loved each other and would have done anything ... etc etc. Their coming together again satisfied in that way that only truly likable characters can do, but was always a bit disappointing in my eyes because they were both declaring their love in a myriad of ways, repeating it in different ways every other sentence, and although it was sweet ... well, after the harsh manner of their starting point, and the continued strength during the relationship while Blaise was in custody, I can't help but feel that they both turned into lushes after.
Still, definitely an enjoyable read.
October 31, 2015
Here is the thing - this book felt like two stories merged together regarding my feeling about it.
The first part - I can appreciate the story as good in itself but unfortunately the first part of the was not my kind of reading preference. But to be fair as this did not define the plot as a whole and as I was still curious and intrigued enough to go on with the book, I'd say it was still partly successful for me.
Then part 2 - for me it got much better and more to my liking when they finally started to cross their own boundaries When the lines started to blur I started to enjoy myself much more. I think my main problem with the first part was the missing connection and feeling between the two men. After this connection started building and growing I was able to really get into it and in the end this book as a whole was really good and I'm happy I did not stop earlier on because it was well worth it. A good book!
The first part - I can appreciate the story as good in itself but unfortunately the first part of the was not my kind of reading preference. But to be fair as this did not define the plot as a whole and as I was still curious and intrigued enough to go on with the book, I'd say it was still partly successful for me.
Then part 2 - for me it got much better and more to my liking when they finally started to cross their own boundaries When the lines started to blur I started to enjoy myself much more. I think my main problem with the first part was the missing connection and feeling between the two men. After this connection started building and growing I was able to really get into it and in the end this book as a whole was really good and I'm happy I did not stop earlier on because it was well worth it. A good book!
November 13, 2013
Wow. Okay. This was a real 180 turn in direction from the previous story.
Healing in His Wings was sweet. This was raunchy and dubious in consent.
I have to say I liked this story more than the previous short story. This had a lot more going on. The encounters between Blaise and Peter were hot but it got a bit tiresome after awhile.
Maybe I'm too used to the "Second Act: The Great Misunderstanding" trope but I wasn't too bothered by how the lovers were torn apart midway. Other readers might be more irritated by it though.
I was quite amused by the story. Heavy on the sexual encounters, light on the plot. But I still had fun.
Healing in His Wings was sweet. This was raunchy and dubious in consent.
I have to say I liked this story more than the previous short story. This had a lot more going on. The encounters between Blaise and Peter were hot but it got a bit tiresome after awhile.
Maybe I'm too used to the "Second Act: The Great Misunderstanding" trope but I wasn't too bothered by how the lovers were torn apart midway. Other readers might be more irritated by it though.
I was quite amused by the story. Heavy on the sexual encounters, light on the plot. But I still had fun.
May 13, 2010
One of the things I love about Ariel Tachna's and Nicki Bennett's books is that in the longer books the plot is more involved. Unlike most m/m books where there's an ongoing romance, then some sort of quick challenge to the characters at the end of the book and then a HEA, this book has more plot than just the central relationship.
The book is more involved and kept my interest. The sex is very hot, the characters are sexy and interesting, and all the plot lines come together and interweave nicely. Loved reading this book.
The one thing that did put me off is that there were waaaay too many similes in the book that had some sort of "space" theme. The book flowed exceptionally well without them and I found them jarring whenever they'd pop up.
The book is more involved and kept my interest. The sex is very hot, the characters are sexy and interesting, and all the plot lines come together and interweave nicely. Loved reading this book.
The one thing that did put me off is that there were waaaay too many similes in the book that had some sort of "space" theme. The book flowed exceptionally well without them and I found them jarring whenever they'd pop up.
August 29, 2012
I really liked this book, though it started off written in an unusual style. Each paragraph switches to the other character's POV. It took a little getting used to, but it turned out to be a very effective storytelling style to get the feelings of the two men during the events happening. I especially like it when I realized it had been done on purpose. Each chapter was a sexual vignette and you were given hints to the great story arc that didn't really get going until about half way through, but the sex was well written and enjoyable to read. In addition, it showed the evolution of both characters' interest in the other. The hints all tied together to the greater arc, which exploded at the halfway point and sucked me in until the last page. Well worth the read.
March 18, 2012
Space privateer Blaise Risner has been caught carrying stolen goods in the hold of his ship. He is brought in front of Admiral Peter Keller, who takes interest in the young pirate and offers him to serve his time on board his space ship " servicing" him instead of hard labor in the mines. Mutual attraction follows, nothing either of the stubborn men want to admit to. While I don't mind hot sex between two men I would have preferred that a bit more of the action took place outside the bedroom. To some extent I had my wish fulfilled in the second half of the book but still, not enough plot to warrant more than 3 stars.
December 12, 2010
This book was a heavy on the porn, light on the plot. But not awful. Just know what you are getting into.
Blaise is a space privateer. Which is apparently like a pirate, but not quite. Peter is the Admiral of the Confederation. When Blaise is arrested, Peter decides to make his rehabilitation a "personal" mission. Meanwhile the Confederation is trying to find the mysterious threat that is attacking innocent and defenseless planets.
Blaise is a space privateer. Which is apparently like a pirate, but not quite. Peter is the Admiral of the Confederation. When Blaise is arrested, Peter decides to make his rehabilitation a "personal" mission. Meanwhile the Confederation is trying to find the mysterious threat that is attacking innocent and defenseless planets.
dnf
October 26, 2012It's a DNF for me
Maybe someday I will try again. I didn't finish it because I read 10% and it was all sex scenes. I like erotica, don't get me wrong, but I didn't connect with any of the main characters after 10% of my kindle file. When this happen I just give up for a while and try again after... I will see.
BTW I don't even shelf it as BDSM because the spank scene and the D&S in my view wasn't at all BDSM. But it's my personal opinion.
Maybe someday I will try again. I didn't finish it because I read 10% and it was all sex scenes. I like erotica, don't get me wrong, but I didn't connect with any of the main characters after 10% of my kindle file. When this happen I just give up for a while and try again after... I will see.
BTW I don't even shelf it as BDSM because the spank scene and the D&S in my view wasn't at all BDSM. But it's my personal opinion.
December 5, 2010
I can't really say much about the book because I didn't get very far. I just couldn't get over the kitschy pseudo futuristic/sci-fi nomenclature to enjoy what is possibly a well written BDSM romance. Maybe someday, I will be in the right mood to overcome the details and enjoy the story. For now, this book is a DNF for me.
November 28, 2011
At the beginning of the book I was not sure if I would like it. I am not a huge fan of the captive/captor love story. However, as their relationship shifted I began to buy it and I really enjoyed the second half. I think it would have been nice to read the first book beforehand just to know that back story of two of the very side characters but it was not necessary. So, overall 4 stars.
September 30, 2012
Hot m/m sci-fi romance in which a space pirate gets caught by an uptight admiral who has some interesting punishments for him. Total guilty pleasure read, couldn't put this one down. Developped characters, decent story, emotionally engaging with plenty of hot man-loving, also not as poorly written as many other books in the field.
February 18, 2015
This is "good rape" romance.
Basically, a man is arrested for piracy. Imprisoned and not able to escape, he finds that his captor is a sexual sadist. Threatened with extreme pain, he consents to sex to avoid torture.
Luckily for the rapist, his victim so enjoys his mad skillz that they fall in love!
Basically, a man is arrested for piracy. Imprisoned and not able to escape, he finds that his captor is a sexual sadist. Threatened with extreme pain, he consents to sex to avoid torture.
Luckily for the rapist, his victim so enjoys his mad skillz that they fall in love!
May 9, 2011
Fun little romance, set in the future and full of hanky spanky.
Reread this book and I like it even more the second time around. I don't reread books so what does that say? I really liked the characters and the story was really Star Trek like kind of fun!
Reread this book and I like it even more the second time around. I don't reread books so what does that say? I really liked the characters and the story was really Star Trek like kind of fun!
February 1, 2018
Oh hot! Oh, hot hot hot! Blaise the pirate is serving prison term under Admiral Peter Keller. And the Admiral likes to dominate Blaise as a sex slave. Blaise is loving it, yet goads Peter every step of the way. Fighting between them make the sex even hotter. BDSM kink.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews