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Balance
By day Cooper Miller is a bland paper pusher, a health and safety inspector who does everything by the book. Deciding he needs some excitement in his life, he sheds his off-the-rack suit and tan raincoat and signs up for an introductory session at a BDSM club. His welcome mat turns out to be Nando Arenas, the man who owns the new tattoo shop Cooper inspected just that morning. At first glance, Nando seems like forbidden territory, but when Cooper discovers a taste for being tied up and dominated, the enterprising tattoo artist delivers all the excitement Cooper could want.
65 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Zahra Owens
64 books186 followersZAHRA OWENS is a multi-lingual globetrotter who loves big cities, but also has a weak spot for the wide-open spaces that are so rare where she lives.
She likes her men either tough on the outside but with a huge soft center, or strong, silent and damaged. She makes it her personal goal to find them their happy-ever-after, the road there often leading via hospital beds, villas with gorgeous vistas or ranges full of horses.
Zahra is a proud member of the Rainbow Romance Writers, the Romance Writers of America, and is also a member of RWA’s Professional Author’s Network.
If Zahra had her wish, a day would have at least 36 hours, because how else would she find the time to finish all the novels still inside her head?
Visit her web site at http://www.zahraowens.com/
and on Facebook or Twitter
She likes her men either tough on the outside but with a huge soft center, or strong, silent and damaged. She makes it her personal goal to find them their happy-ever-after, the road there often leading via hospital beds, villas with gorgeous vistas or ranges full of horses.
Zahra is a proud member of the Rainbow Romance Writers, the Romance Writers of America, and is also a member of RWA’s Professional Author’s Network.
If Zahra had her wish, a day would have at least 36 hours, because how else would she find the time to finish all the novels still inside her head?
Visit her web site at http://www.zahraowens.com/
and on Facebook or Twitter
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 10, 2011
THE BLURB
By day Cooper Miller is a bland paper pusher, a health and safety inspector who does everything by the book. Deciding he needs some excitement in his life, he sheds his off-the-rack suit and tan raincoat and signs up for an introductory session at a BDSM club. His welcome mat turns out to be Nando Arenas, the man who owns the new tattoo shop Cooper inspected just that morning. At first glance, Nando seems like forbidden territory, but when Cooper discovers a taste for being tied up and dominated, the enterprising tattoo artist delivers all the excitement Cooper could want.
THE REVIEW
The main character in this story is described as bland and that would be the adjective I would use to describe this novella, which really did nothing for me. I felt like I was reading words on a page. There wasn’t much of a plot and the main characters were completely inconsistent—saying one thing and doing another—which made them totally unrealistic. Without a plot or interesting characters, what’s left? Not much, unfortunately.
Let me give you a few examples…
The story opens with the scene described in the blurb. Cooper is waiting in the lobby of the BDSM club for his “welcome mat” (a term I’ve never heard before in relation to a person, but whatever) who turns out to be the guy from the tattoo shop that Cooper had inspected just that very morning. Now, if you were in this situation, don’t you think you’d have some sort of reaction? Surprise, perhaps? Maybe a twinge of anxiety? For Cooper, none of that. He’s completely blasé, as if this sort of thing happens to him every day. Nando is equally nonplussed.
Cooper suddenly turns all whisper-y and shy. Nando manages to get him to say what he wants during their time together—his “ultimate fantasy” (which in the big scheme of things was a pretty tame and boring fantasy)—and they head to a private room. After a not-very-exciting build-up, Nando delivers the goods, giving Cooper “a mind blowing orgasm beyond all belief.” Then suddenly, Nando, who is supposed to be the tough Dom, is holding Cooper, kissing and caressing him, and apologizing for “screwing up.” I actually went back and read the scene three times, trying to figure out where or how Nando had screwed up, and never found it. Anyway, in the face of this, Cooper, who had been shy and submissive, suddenly takes the assertive role, reassuring Nando that he was “terrific” and “great” and that he had given him something that none of his previous lovers had ever been able to do. It was at this point that I seriously considered this book to be a DNF but I plowed on.
Two weeks pass. Cooper can’t get Nando out of his mind and he starts lurking around the tattoo shop at closing time. After three nights, he finally gets his courage up and accosts Nando as he is coming out of the shop. Nando is a little baffled by this (who wouldn’t be?) but agrees to go along with Cooper to have “a talk.” Now, realize that their sole interaction had been one scene at a BDSM club with a bizarre ending, so what exactly they need to talk about is a mystery to me (and Nando, too) but again…whatever.
Nando comments that he is hungry but it’s late and they decide that the only place open at this hour is McDonald’s, which is right across the street. In they go and Nando orders two coffees and a hot fudge sundae. Hello? I thought he was hungry? Don’t they sell hamburgers at McDonald’s? Even more bizarrely, when they sit down, Cooper announces that if he had known that Nando was hungry, he would have taken him to a late-night restaurant that he knows about (in another part of the city) and bought him dinner. Nando says no, he’s not really hungry and then proceeds to devour his ice cream sundae. Then they have a dopey conversation and the next thing you know, Nando is sitting on Cooper’s lap and they are making out.
See what I mean about inconsistent?
The story continued on, with various inane conversations peppered by not-terribly-exciting sex scenes and eventually I reached the blessed words, “The End.”
I thought long and hard to see if there was anything in this book that I could suggest for a recommendation and I came up with…nothing. Maybe fans of the author will like this but beyond that, I suggest giving this one a pass.
(posted at reviewsbyjessewave on 3/9/2010)
By day Cooper Miller is a bland paper pusher, a health and safety inspector who does everything by the book. Deciding he needs some excitement in his life, he sheds his off-the-rack suit and tan raincoat and signs up for an introductory session at a BDSM club. His welcome mat turns out to be Nando Arenas, the man who owns the new tattoo shop Cooper inspected just that morning. At first glance, Nando seems like forbidden territory, but when Cooper discovers a taste for being tied up and dominated, the enterprising tattoo artist delivers all the excitement Cooper could want.
THE REVIEW
The main character in this story is described as bland and that would be the adjective I would use to describe this novella, which really did nothing for me. I felt like I was reading words on a page. There wasn’t much of a plot and the main characters were completely inconsistent—saying one thing and doing another—which made them totally unrealistic. Without a plot or interesting characters, what’s left? Not much, unfortunately.
Let me give you a few examples…
The story opens with the scene described in the blurb. Cooper is waiting in the lobby of the BDSM club for his “welcome mat” (a term I’ve never heard before in relation to a person, but whatever) who turns out to be the guy from the tattoo shop that Cooper had inspected just that very morning. Now, if you were in this situation, don’t you think you’d have some sort of reaction? Surprise, perhaps? Maybe a twinge of anxiety? For Cooper, none of that. He’s completely blasé, as if this sort of thing happens to him every day. Nando is equally nonplussed.
Cooper suddenly turns all whisper-y and shy. Nando manages to get him to say what he wants during their time together—his “ultimate fantasy” (which in the big scheme of things was a pretty tame and boring fantasy)—and they head to a private room. After a not-very-exciting build-up, Nando delivers the goods, giving Cooper “a mind blowing orgasm beyond all belief.” Then suddenly, Nando, who is supposed to be the tough Dom, is holding Cooper, kissing and caressing him, and apologizing for “screwing up.” I actually went back and read the scene three times, trying to figure out where or how Nando had screwed up, and never found it. Anyway, in the face of this, Cooper, who had been shy and submissive, suddenly takes the assertive role, reassuring Nando that he was “terrific” and “great” and that he had given him something that none of his previous lovers had ever been able to do. It was at this point that I seriously considered this book to be a DNF but I plowed on.
Two weeks pass. Cooper can’t get Nando out of his mind and he starts lurking around the tattoo shop at closing time. After three nights, he finally gets his courage up and accosts Nando as he is coming out of the shop. Nando is a little baffled by this (who wouldn’t be?) but agrees to go along with Cooper to have “a talk.” Now, realize that their sole interaction had been one scene at a BDSM club with a bizarre ending, so what exactly they need to talk about is a mystery to me (and Nando, too) but again…whatever.
Nando comments that he is hungry but it’s late and they decide that the only place open at this hour is McDonald’s, which is right across the street. In they go and Nando orders two coffees and a hot fudge sundae. Hello? I thought he was hungry? Don’t they sell hamburgers at McDonald’s? Even more bizarrely, when they sit down, Cooper announces that if he had known that Nando was hungry, he would have taken him to a late-night restaurant that he knows about (in another part of the city) and bought him dinner. Nando says no, he’s not really hungry and then proceeds to devour his ice cream sundae. Then they have a dopey conversation and the next thing you know, Nando is sitting on Cooper’s lap and they are making out.
See what I mean about inconsistent?
The story continued on, with various inane conversations peppered by not-terribly-exciting sex scenes and eventually I reached the blessed words, “The End.”
I thought long and hard to see if there was anything in this book that I could suggest for a recommendation and I came up with…nothing. Maybe fans of the author will like this but beyond that, I suggest giving this one a pass.
(posted at reviewsbyjessewave on 3/9/2010)
March 26, 2016
For me this was more of a weak 2.5 stars. Definitely not my favorite book by this author. Maybe that was the problem. I've read Façade which I thought I'd hate but no I liked it so much I read it twice, Diplomacy - LOVED IT! You Can Choose Your Friends, You Can't Choose Your Family loved them both, The Wranglers Series loved it too, etc, etc. See the pattern for me Zahra Owens = good reading. So why wouldn't Balance be the same? I don't know but it wasn't it's just didn't make me want to immediately go back to page 1 and start reading again as soon as I was finished, so you win some, you loose some. But I'm sure Ms Owens will get me next time.
June 2, 2017
BDSM is not my kink but usually I can stay in stories with BDSM elements because of the plot. I found it very hard to concentrate in this story because the plot was not that exceptional and I was disinterested by the sex scenes.
February 23, 2017
If I am reading a d/s book I prefer the roles clearly defined. I just couldn't get in to their relationship.
March 12, 2012
I feel like I should have liked this more. Does that make sense? Okay for instance there is rope play in this book. I love the Shibari technique. I just couldnt connect with the two characters. I want to be able to get behind the characters and root for them to be together. In all honesty I could really care less. It just was...hm.
July 10, 2014
2.5 stars
Japanese bondage play book.
Liked it, but didn't find it memorable in any way. The Dom was emotionally scarred and a bottom, while the Sub turns from incredibly shy to very persistent and open (just after the first scene) and stays that way. Found it kind of inconsistent.
Japanese bondage play book.
Liked it, but didn't find it memorable in any way. The Dom was emotionally scarred and a bottom, while the Sub turns from incredibly shy to very persistent and open (just after the first scene) and stays that way. Found it kind of inconsistent.
June 27, 2010
So-so m/m romance about a desk jockey whose fascination for being tied up leads him to an introductory session at a kinky club, at which he meets a very intriguing tattoo artist.
May 19, 2011
This is a really smutty good. So if you like smut read away.
May 15, 2013
I was already pre-disposed to dislike this short story when the dreaded insta-love occurred in the first chapter ... add in a clunky narrative & weak plot & I couldn't be bothered to finish.
February 21, 2017
I read some quite bad reviews on this but i quite enjoyed it....It could have been longer and Nando as a Dom didn't quite work but the chemistry between Nando and Cooper was quite sweet x
April 17, 2014
It was ok read to see where it leads, An inspector inspect an tattoo place but also wants to live out his fantasies with the owner.
July 16, 2014
this had a lot of potential. A LOT. But it was just too rushed for me.
January 14, 2015
Wow, when we first meet NAndo he seems so confident but as we keep reading we find out he winnies more than a teen girl. Lol!!!
Luck him Cooper last name is patience!!
Luck him Cooper last name is patience!!
January 6, 2013
Two men met and had happy time, while discovering they passion for bondage in vanilla manner.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews