What do you think?
Rate this book
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 22 reviews
March 21, 2010
Aftermath deals with the emotional, physical, and mental problems that come after being attacked. This is not an easy book to read although the story keeps the material somewhat light and the emotional impact muted so it shouldn’t be too disturbing. Instead the book focuses on the strength of love and coming through an ordeal changed and potentially stronger. The cover art refers to the opening scene in a clever way but also to the emotional chains that both men inherit due to the attack. Unfortunately the book tackles too many issues in a very short amount of space and turns what could have been a truly piece of work into a decent story worth telling.
Victor and Cody are an established couple living together. Victor works long hours in a very hectic desk job while Cody is an artist. The two love each other very much but clash due to Victor’s long hours and Cody’s restlessness. This leads to trouble when Cody is attacked and raped. The two men must deal with the harrowing ramifications of that while discovering new facets of their relationship. Each man must decide if they are happy and want to stay together or what changes must happen.
The book begins with a light BDSM scene between main characters Victor and Cody. This establishes a casual D/s relationship between the two men but shows underlying issues. There are references to an earlier rape Cody has suffered from trusting the wrong friends and Victor has responded by being more controlling in an attempt to keep Cody safe. This causes conflict between the two men as Cody wants to feel like he can go out without disappointing the ever busy, workaholic Victor. So right away in the first scene, there are a lot of factors that come into play that are never fully explored. The D/s element of their relationship is very casual and relates mostly to sex yet Victor often carries this responsibility and dynamic further. This is a confusing and ill described aspect since Cody doesn’t seem to respond to that control unless sexually, thus making Victor’s use of such outside of sex confusing and contradictory. Furthermore this element is questionable and doesn’t actually work well in the story, making me wonder why it was included.
There are several aspects of the story – such as the D/s component – that feel thrown in and confuse the already emotionally heavy plot. From that opening scene there is another attack that Cody must suffer, though all the action is off page. This helps keep the impact muted and distant but ultimately the story itself lacks a deep emotional connection that makes the subject matter and their journey memorable. The second attack on Cody is avoidable and the warning signs are clear to all but Cody’s naïve nature allows this to happen. The fact that the man seems little affected by his first assault and allows himself to get into the same position twice is surprising and confusing. His emotional response after the second attack is so intense that it’s hard to understand how he got into that position again.
Yet if all of these issues can be forgiven, the strength of Victor and Cody’s relationship does shine. Their journey is not easy as the men individually and together must go to therapy and explore their reactions to the assault. Both men must refocus on the future and what’s important to them and Victor especially must prioritize his life. The addition of therapy is a wonderful move and showed how helpful this can be to the process. The story strays away from stereotypes in that simply love and support can heal a wounded person and the various ways the two men recover is a great addition. The ending is satisfying but felt too pat and unbelievable, especially with the dramatic action bit. This is another example of more plot points thrown in – almost randomly – without given the time and space to fully explore them. The ending is too pat and predictable, showing some surprising ignorant mistakes. For example I doubt Victor would have left Cody alone on the street after everything that happened, yet it makes for a tidy finish.
Overall this is a good story about a difficult subject. The shorter length keeps the telling somewhat light and emotionally distant from the intense emotion the characters are feeling. The contradictory elements further disconnect the reader from developing a solid connection to the characters and action, leaving the story without the impact it could have had. The writing is decent with a good outline of a plot but could have used some tight editing and a real focus on the two men, their relationship, and how it changes due to the attack. The various side elements are unimportant and distracting from the strength of the relationship and the story itself. As a fan of the author’s, this one is not one I’d read again but I still recommend it for the engaging characters and their relationship. You just might feel cheated by the length, like I am.
Victor and Cody are an established couple living together. Victor works long hours in a very hectic desk job while Cody is an artist. The two love each other very much but clash due to Victor’s long hours and Cody’s restlessness. This leads to trouble when Cody is attacked and raped. The two men must deal with the harrowing ramifications of that while discovering new facets of their relationship. Each man must decide if they are happy and want to stay together or what changes must happen.
The book begins with a light BDSM scene between main characters Victor and Cody. This establishes a casual D/s relationship between the two men but shows underlying issues. There are references to an earlier rape Cody has suffered from trusting the wrong friends and Victor has responded by being more controlling in an attempt to keep Cody safe. This causes conflict between the two men as Cody wants to feel like he can go out without disappointing the ever busy, workaholic Victor. So right away in the first scene, there are a lot of factors that come into play that are never fully explored. The D/s element of their relationship is very casual and relates mostly to sex yet Victor often carries this responsibility and dynamic further. This is a confusing and ill described aspect since Cody doesn’t seem to respond to that control unless sexually, thus making Victor’s use of such outside of sex confusing and contradictory. Furthermore this element is questionable and doesn’t actually work well in the story, making me wonder why it was included.
There are several aspects of the story – such as the D/s component – that feel thrown in and confuse the already emotionally heavy plot. From that opening scene there is another attack that Cody must suffer, though all the action is off page. This helps keep the impact muted and distant but ultimately the story itself lacks a deep emotional connection that makes the subject matter and their journey memorable. The second attack on Cody is avoidable and the warning signs are clear to all but Cody’s naïve nature allows this to happen. The fact that the man seems little affected by his first assault and allows himself to get into the same position twice is surprising and confusing. His emotional response after the second attack is so intense that it’s hard to understand how he got into that position again.
Yet if all of these issues can be forgiven, the strength of Victor and Cody’s relationship does shine. Their journey is not easy as the men individually and together must go to therapy and explore their reactions to the assault. Both men must refocus on the future and what’s important to them and Victor especially must prioritize his life. The addition of therapy is a wonderful move and showed how helpful this can be to the process. The story strays away from stereotypes in that simply love and support can heal a wounded person and the various ways the two men recover is a great addition. The ending is satisfying but felt too pat and unbelievable, especially with the dramatic action bit. This is another example of more plot points thrown in – almost randomly – without given the time and space to fully explore them. The ending is too pat and predictable, showing some surprising ignorant mistakes. For example I doubt Victor would have left Cody alone on the street after everything that happened, yet it makes for a tidy finish.
Overall this is a good story about a difficult subject. The shorter length keeps the telling somewhat light and emotionally distant from the intense emotion the characters are feeling. The contradictory elements further disconnect the reader from developing a solid connection to the characters and action, leaving the story without the impact it could have had. The writing is decent with a good outline of a plot but could have used some tight editing and a real focus on the two men, their relationship, and how it changes due to the attack. The various side elements are unimportant and distracting from the strength of the relationship and the story itself. As a fan of the author’s, this one is not one I’d read again but I still recommend it for the engaging characters and their relationship. You just might feel cheated by the length, like I am.
March 10, 2012
I'm not going to go into the story because that's been dealt with in the other reviews. I want to concentrate on the telling of the story. As a writer myself I look for more than just a good story, I look for a good storyteller and I found that here. The characters are very real and very believable and the pace matches the story... choppy and fast paced in high tension scenes, slower and more flowing where it's soft or tender or just plain relief of tension for a while.
Vic comes across as a bit of an insensitive bully at the beginning, but not for long. It's very obvious that the couple are in love and that Vic cares very deeply about his sweet, naive little artist. I adored Cody from the very start and that's a mark of a great writer, making her readers invest in the characters and actually care when they're hurt.
As soon as Jonathan appeared on the scene you knew there was going to be trouble but, the build up was subtle and focussed on Cody's sweetness, so that when it hit it was a real gut wrencher.
Not only is the characterisation excellent but the dialogue between all the characters is very natural, as required in a character led tale, and the little scenes that are slotted in that are strictly unecessary but colour the whole thing with humour and lightness are precious... Cody dancing, wedged under the bed...
The pacing of the story was just right. Fast and slow, tension and release. We get to breathe between gasps and even smile even in the middle of all the tension and angst as Cody comes apart and is put back together again.
The bit part characters are just as realistically drawn, with little touches that make them real and important.
In short... it was a fast paced, descent into darkness and climb back to the light. It was sweet, chilling, frustrating, illuminating, humourous... oh all kings of good things and I really really like it.
Vic comes across as a bit of an insensitive bully at the beginning, but not for long. It's very obvious that the couple are in love and that Vic cares very deeply about his sweet, naive little artist. I adored Cody from the very start and that's a mark of a great writer, making her readers invest in the characters and actually care when they're hurt.
As soon as Jonathan appeared on the scene you knew there was going to be trouble but, the build up was subtle and focussed on Cody's sweetness, so that when it hit it was a real gut wrencher.
Not only is the characterisation excellent but the dialogue between all the characters is very natural, as required in a character led tale, and the little scenes that are slotted in that are strictly unecessary but colour the whole thing with humour and lightness are precious... Cody dancing, wedged under the bed...
The pacing of the story was just right. Fast and slow, tension and release. We get to breathe between gasps and even smile even in the middle of all the tension and angst as Cody comes apart and is put back together again.
The bit part characters are just as realistically drawn, with little touches that make them real and important.
In short... it was a fast paced, descent into darkness and climb back to the light. It was sweet, chilling, frustrating, illuminating, humourous... oh all kings of good things and I really really like it.
February 29, 2012
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
This is a powerful story that deals with betrayal and recovery from rape. There are no actual rape scenes so don't let the subject matter put you off. Victor is a big, burly construction worker turned desk jockey. He feels the need to be the bread winner, protector and dominant of his long term partner, Cody. The pressure of Victor's career is beginning to hurt their relationship. Cody is an artist who tends to be submissive, impulsive and a little self-destructive. Cody had been drugged and raped once before but seems to have dealt with it. Victor comes home tired from work so Cody goes out to a dance club with two friends. He meets his ex, Jonathan, who he is still friends with at the club. Jonathan is deeply in debt and actually sells Cody to the guy he owes money to as part of a pay back deal. Coby is brutally raped and tortured while Jonathan sits on the sofa waiting to take Coby home. Victor takes Coby to the hospital and through intensive therapy, self defense classes and time, the two men crawl back to normalcy. I enjoyed the emotions that Ms Martinez was able to wring out of Coby, Victor and Jonathan. The relationship and love between Vic and Cody was very well drawn. Jonathan had no redeeming qualities in my opinion and so was also a well written character. The only hard time that I had with the story was that is felt very rushed and much had to be inferred. It would have been much better if Ms Martinez spent more time with the therapist, the self defense class and Coby's and Victor's healing. The ending of the story was terrific and a bit of a surprise. I'd recommend this book to someone that enjoys an emotional story with a HEA.
This is a powerful story that deals with betrayal and recovery from rape. There are no actual rape scenes so don't let the subject matter put you off. Victor is a big, burly construction worker turned desk jockey. He feels the need to be the bread winner, protector and dominant of his long term partner, Cody. The pressure of Victor's career is beginning to hurt their relationship. Cody is an artist who tends to be submissive, impulsive and a little self-destructive. Cody had been drugged and raped once before but seems to have dealt with it. Victor comes home tired from work so Cody goes out to a dance club with two friends. He meets his ex, Jonathan, who he is still friends with at the club. Jonathan is deeply in debt and actually sells Cody to the guy he owes money to as part of a pay back deal. Coby is brutally raped and tortured while Jonathan sits on the sofa waiting to take Coby home. Victor takes Coby to the hospital and through intensive therapy, self defense classes and time, the two men crawl back to normalcy. I enjoyed the emotions that Ms Martinez was able to wring out of Coby, Victor and Jonathan. The relationship and love between Vic and Cody was very well drawn. Jonathan had no redeeming qualities in my opinion and so was also a well written character. The only hard time that I had with the story was that is felt very rushed and much had to be inferred. It would have been much better if Ms Martinez spent more time with the therapist, the self defense class and Coby's and Victor's healing. The ending of the story was terrific and a bit of a surprise. I'd recommend this book to someone that enjoys an emotional story with a HEA.
October 17, 2011
Aftermath deals with what happens after rape, emotionally and physically.
Vic and Cody have been a couple for years -- it's always nice to have a story with established couple. The couple is not perfect. Cody is an artist -- he's outgoing, impulsive, and sometimes I think he can be destructive for himself, especially by letting his bastard of an ex using him. While Vic is a tender bear, but since he always puts himself as a protector, he thinks that he needs to take charge of everything, including being the bread winner. Vic's long hours makes Cody restless. Then, comes the rape ... and what follows after is the path of "being okay".
The story is very engaging ... I know that since it's a novella, so at times it might feel like the process is quick. BUT, I think it covers a lot of issues pretty well. There's anger and frustration, there's meeting with a shrink, there's communication about what both expect from each other, what they truly feel. There's one tender moment when Vic soothes Cody after the rape, at the hospital, that just squeezes my heart.
Vic and Cody have been a couple for years -- it's always nice to have a story with established couple. The couple is not perfect. Cody is an artist -- he's outgoing, impulsive, and sometimes I think he can be destructive for himself, especially by letting his bastard of an ex using him. While Vic is a tender bear, but since he always puts himself as a protector, he thinks that he needs to take charge of everything, including being the bread winner. Vic's long hours makes Cody restless. Then, comes the rape ... and what follows after is the path of "being okay".
The story is very engaging ... I know that since it's a novella, so at times it might feel like the process is quick. BUT, I think it covers a lot of issues pretty well. There's anger and frustration, there's meeting with a shrink, there's communication about what both expect from each other, what they truly feel. There's one tender moment when Vic soothes Cody after the rape, at the hospital, that just squeezes my heart.
March 12, 2013
Great, powerful story and I think it deals with the aftermath of such a horrible thing very realistically. Both Vic and Cody are really complex and very sympathetic characters. But the thing with Jonathan kind of threw me off, I mean he basically lead his friend/ex-lover Cody in the hands of rapists to pay off his own debt. And later on Cody forgives him quite easily, tells him he still loves him, like it's not a big deal? Other than that a fantastic story!
April 19, 2011
3.5 stars. Good m/m romance about a long-term couple who struggle to recover after one of them is betrayed by a friend and assaulted. I did have a bit of a niggle about the couple not using condoms after such an assault...
January 16, 2012
This is not an easy read due to the rape and non-con incidents in the book. The villain is so awful that you're really happy to see him get his. I liked the two MCs and their relationship and the portrayal of the assault affecting both partners. I was a little disturbed that there didn't seem to be any discussion about the possibility of risk after the assault - i.e. no testing and apparently returning to barebacking. I would have thought that might be another issue/obstacle in the process of recovery.
Honestly I just hated Jonathan and could not believe that Cody would even talk to him ever again. It seems to me, if you're a material witness or possible accomplice in a crime of this magnitude, you don't just get to brush off the police. Have you seen Law & Order, SVU??? They will be on your ass until you're brought in. Barring that little break from reality, I'm really surprised Vic didn't grab him by the neck and DRAG him physically to the police station.
Honestly I just hated Jonathan and could not believe that Cody would even talk to him ever again. It seems to me, if you're a material witness or possible accomplice in a crime of this magnitude, you don't just get to brush off the police. Have you seen Law & Order, SVU??? They will be on your ass until you're brought in. Barring that little break from reality, I'm really surprised Vic didn't grab him by the neck and DRAG him physically to the police station.
April 20, 2014
Wow, this was an interesting read. Cody and Victor have to deal with the aftermath of a traumatic event that shakes them both to the core. There were things that I would have gone crazy about had I not reminded myself this is FICTION.
This book needed to be longer so Martinez could have flushed out this story more. Despite these problems I did enjoy the book.
This book needed to be longer so Martinez could have flushed out this story more. Despite these problems I did enjoy the book.
August 8, 2014
Not bad, but not "wow" either. 3.5 stars.
Not a lot of BDSM here, and whatever little there is, it's not enough to put a BDSM tag on the book. What Moderatrix Lori said. It's not what the book is about.
Not a lot of BDSM here, and whatever little there is, it's not enough to put a BDSM tag on the book. What Moderatrix Lori said. It's not what the book is about.
Read
August 25, 2014My review of this book will be at Love Bytes Reviews!
October 11, 2014
Story about healing. Dark, even if it's not explicit.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 22 reviews