What do you think?
Rate this book
Blurring the Lines #1
Blurring the Lines (Blurring the Lines, #1)
An Original Yaoi Slash Novel told in two volumes!
The day Mick told his parents he was gay, they didn't even blink. When he told them he wanted to be a cop, they freaked out. But he was good at his job until he was bounced off the police force on made up charges. Toshi was caught between two worlds, the quarantined mutated I/S society of his mother's people and the high class world of wealthy human life from his father. Comfortable in neither his heritage or his money Toshi hides behind duty and clings to what little privacy he has. When Mick accepts the job to keep the reclusive half breed alive, neither man's life will ever be the same again.
The day Mick told his parents he was gay, they didn't even blink. When he told them he wanted to be a cop, they freaked out. But he was good at his job until he was bounced off the police force on made up charges. Toshi was caught between two worlds, the quarantined mutated I/S society of his mother's people and the high class world of wealthy human life from his father. Comfortable in neither his heritage or his money Toshi hides behind duty and clings to what little privacy he has. When Mick accepts the job to keep the reclusive half breed alive, neither man's life will ever be the same again.
102 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
13 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Payne
16 books202 followersSo, ya wanted to know about me... well, nothing to know! I'm from a quiet Penn Dutch area with my husband, a herd of dogs, and WAY too many cats.
The husband and I work for ourselves, no money in it but better than 9 to 5 for some other idiots, and it leaves me time to write. Which, I'm told, is a very good thing.
The husband and I work for ourselves, no money in it but better than 9 to 5 for some other idiots, and it leaves me time to write. Which, I'm told, is a very good thing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 15, 2016
That was something!!
I now have a big Toshi and Mick crush.
And a little Andy crush.
'Blurring the Lines' is a dark dystopian that revolves around the interactions (or lack of) between a new breed of people and humans. Toshi is a result of the two worlds colliding, human and I/S. He belongs nowhere and sometimes feels he is wanted by no one
Mick, a human cop abandoned as a child and left for dead, was taken in by a commune of intellectuals and raised in a way that makes him look at the I/S as no less than humans.
Because of his ideals Mick is forced to resign from a very corrupt police force and is tracked down by one of Toshi's people to become his bodyguard.
The shit then proceeds to well and truly hit the fan.
There are a few flaws in this, quite a few actually, the biggest and most difficult to overcome is the narrative. It hops around non stop and sometimes I wasn't entirely sure who's POV it was. It could change from one sentence to the next and back again. It was confusing and at the beginning off putting but I honestly got used to it by the middle and it didn't bother me that much. Likewise with the world building, it sometimes felt a little off and confusing but again by the end any confusion I had seemed to work itself out. I still have a few questions (mainly about shinning) but I think I'm supposed to, the second book sounds like it deals with I/S addiction and the aftermath. There is also some huge grammar and spelling issues and while the constant misuse of the word 'than' was annoying at times, now that I'm done I really can't bring myself to be that bothered.
Both Toshi and Mick have sad and difficult pasts (Toshi's in particular was horrific) and those pasts really shape the men that we meet at the beginning but it does become clear very quickly that what we see on the surface is not necessarily who they are. It seems they are showing the world what they think the world wants to see, learning about them was fascinating, watching them learn about each other was beautiful.
A huge amount happens in this book, thinking back I'm amazed at how the story was told in 290 pages. It's jam packed and I feel a little exhausted on behalf of the characters. I really, really want to know what's next for these two (and Andy) but I think I'm going to have to take a break from them for a little while. 'Blurring the Lines' only seems to be available on the authors website (which you have to become a member of in order to read more than the first 3 chapters) and I must admit I had difficulty with not being able to highlight and note passages and the white background really messed with my eyes. (maybe that's a reader setting I can change?) I'd love these in mobi or ePub files but it is what it is and I will be coming back to Toshi and Mick but it will have to be in the new year!
September 13, 2010
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I think S.A. Payne is a freaking genius when it comes to making up stories. She writes fantastic plots with fantastic characters, and Blurring the Lines happens to be one of my favorites. Like everything she does, it's creative, original, compelling, and just plain awesome.
However...I do have one major issue that may also be an issue for others, and that is with the atrocious spelling and punctuation problems throughout all this author's writing. I'm talking about run-on sentences galore and a near constant misuse of words like to/too, breath/breathe, lose/loose, then/than, slid/slide, its/it's, quit/quiet/quite, etc etc. Anyway, it can get pretty aggravating at times, and I think that some readers won't be able to get past it. Now typically, bad spelling and bad punctuation = bad writing, but weirdly enough, I don't really find that to be the case here. Actually, I think the prose and dialogue are quite fluid and natural, which ultimately allows me to overlook the spelling and punctuation errors. To be frank, I find this author's writing to be so compelling and fascinating that I would much much rather read the story (even with the aggravation of spelling/punctuation problems) than not read the story and miss out on such a great experience. The writing and content is actually quite good and very readable -- it's just that the spelling and punctuation is seriously messed up. Make sense?
Bottom Line: 5 stars for pure enjoyment of a great story from a great storyteller.
However...I do have one major issue that may also be an issue for others, and that is with the atrocious spelling and punctuation problems throughout all this author's writing. I'm talking about run-on sentences galore and a near constant misuse of words like to/too, breath/breathe, lose/loose, then/than, slid/slide, its/it's, quit/quiet/quite, etc etc. Anyway, it can get pretty aggravating at times, and I think that some readers won't be able to get past it. Now typically, bad spelling and bad punctuation = bad writing, but weirdly enough, I don't really find that to be the case here. Actually, I think the prose and dialogue are quite fluid and natural, which ultimately allows me to overlook the spelling and punctuation errors. To be frank, I find this author's writing to be so compelling and fascinating that I would much much rather read the story (even with the aggravation of spelling/punctuation problems) than not read the story and miss out on such a great experience. The writing and content is actually quite good and very readable -- it's just that the spelling and punctuation is seriously messed up. Make sense?
Bottom Line: 5 stars for pure enjoyment of a great story from a great storyteller.
October 30, 2010
I had trouble getting into this one. Some scenes seemed to drag on and i found myself getting bored. there were also lots of editing mistakes that were distracting for me
February 16, 2025
The story is great, but the book really needs an editor. Since it started as an online story, I get that it might be rough, but it should have been cleaned up before being sold on Amazon. The mistakes make it hard to enjoy.
February 11, 2016
Wow! So I remember why I hadn't read this book before now. I had started reading it at one point I think and then realized the only way to get the entirety of the book was to pay the subscription to the author's page. While a really nominal fee I hadn't wanted to do it. I'd much rather just by the book outright. And after reading this story I really wish the author would have it conventionally published just so I could do that. Sure, there are a number of typos and the like that a good editor would correct in a heartbeat, but it's a fantastic post-apocalyptic story!
Part of me wishes I'd read the 3rd book in the series first as apparently it's a prequel and there are definitely some background things about the situation that I'm still a little unclear on, but those minor details in no way detract from this story. I loved watching Toshi and Mick come together and be the bulwark against the world the other needs to really step up and shine.
The world created here is rich in details and the mystery is a good one. The characters were detailed and had a lot to recommend them. I felt the ending was a little rushed but I'm still very curious to see where these guys would go next. They're poised to make a lot of changes.
Toshi and Mick really captured my heart though with all they've been through and what peace finding each other has started to bring to them. They've come from such different worlds but Mick's compassion and sense of right and wrong make him the perfect person to pull Toshi from the shell he's lived inside of since his rescue as a child. He's been betrayed in the most deeply painful way ever in his past and between that and the forced drug addiction trusting anyone is incredibly difficult. It's always safer to keep people at arms length. Together these two have so much potential to change the status quo in this world were everything is very twisted and wrong and the prejudices against the I/S are so deeply rooted in fear and a lack of understanding or human compassion.
So good! Really loved this.
Part of me wishes I'd read the 3rd book in the series first as apparently it's a prequel and there are definitely some background things about the situation that I'm still a little unclear on, but those minor details in no way detract from this story. I loved watching Toshi and Mick come together and be the bulwark against the world the other needs to really step up and shine.
The world created here is rich in details and the mystery is a good one. The characters were detailed and had a lot to recommend them. I felt the ending was a little rushed but I'm still very curious to see where these guys would go next. They're poised to make a lot of changes.
Toshi and Mick really captured my heart though with all they've been through and what peace finding each other has started to bring to them. They've come from such different worlds but Mick's compassion and sense of right and wrong make him the perfect person to pull Toshi from the shell he's lived inside of since his rescue as a child. He's been betrayed in the most deeply painful way ever in his past and between that and the forced drug addiction trusting anyone is incredibly difficult. It's always safer to keep people at arms length. Together these two have so much potential to change the status quo in this world were everything is very twisted and wrong and the prejudices against the I/S are so deeply rooted in fear and a lack of understanding or human compassion.
So good! Really loved this.
July 31, 2012
I unknowingly read the third story in this series before I read this novel, and I think, in the end, that it actually worked out to be fortuitous. The third book in this series is essentially a prequel to this novel, and having that extra background/world building probably helped me to understand and relate to the characters in this story.
Both men, Toshi and Mick, have grown up under harsh, cruel conditions in a post-apocalyptic society. Both characters are victims of abuse and predujice, but in very different ways. Both have developed a mask or pseudo personality that they present to the world in order to survive, as both have learned the hard way that showing weakness or vulnerability only leads to pain. And both men, due to their pasts, have a very low sense of self worth, but find in each other the ability to grow and finally see that they are indeed, worthy men.
Both men, Toshi and Mick, have grown up under harsh, cruel conditions in a post-apocalyptic society. Both characters are victims of abuse and predujice, but in very different ways. Both have developed a mask or pseudo personality that they present to the world in order to survive, as both have learned the hard way that showing weakness or vulnerability only leads to pain. And both men, due to their pasts, have a very low sense of self worth, but find in each other the ability to grow and finally see that they are indeed, worthy men.
September 26, 2021
RIP 53%
This book needs a die hard editor whose not afraid to cut a bitch.
This book needs a die hard editor whose not afraid to cut a bitch.
June 18, 2013
So, I kind of loved this book. It had such a good plot, which is not something I'm used to in general with romance novels. Also, I've just started reading M/M boks and my experience with the quality of the writing so far is very mixed. Some of the authors I've read seem to think writing about the characters having lots and lots of sex is the same thing as writing about the charcters having a relationship. Not gonna lie, the sex in this book was pretty good, but, *gasp*, it wasn't the focus or the central point. Like, the characters actually existed outside of the bedroon (or the locker room, the bathroom or whereever else people get busy). Yeah!
As for the characters...umm...I freaking loved them. Toshi is awesome and Mick is not a sadist. In some M/M books I've read, "top" = sadist, or super alpha male. This book didn't explore tired out cliches about how a bottom is submissive and passive and how a top is aggressive and strong. Thank goodness. There are some issues with editing, but all in all the book was very well written and the characters extremely lovable. Would definitely reccomend it.
As for the characters...umm...I freaking loved them. Toshi is awesome and Mick is not a sadist. In some M/M books I've read, "top" = sadist, or super alpha male. This book didn't explore tired out cliches about how a bottom is submissive and passive and how a top is aggressive and strong. Thank goodness. There are some issues with editing, but all in all the book was very well written and the characters extremely lovable. Would definitely reccomend it.
December 8, 2010
4.5 stars
This book made me sniff Rodrigo
This book made me sniff Rodrigo
November 15, 2017
If you are new to S.A.Payne let me warn you: the blurb may be misleading. This book is not easy, and anyone who has ever read this author's books what I'm talking about: murder, rape, abuse. There really should be trigger warnings.
This book takes you on a roller coaster, and while I loved the first half... the second one just didn't fit. Toshis' character changed a bit too much
The plot was good, even if a bit confusing as the first 50% are slow, and the last 20% mega rushed. Also, the headhopping - it's a thing. Better get used to it.
I'm torn about this book. 0-55% = 5✩, 60-75%= 4✩, rest= 3✩ - 4✩ from me, because I love-hate S.A.Payne. Their books are always gut-punching, even if there's no relationship angst. But this book leaves you hollow. Heroes&Ghosts is one of my fav books ever (still not an easy read, but lighter? The ending brings closure), but this one...it's HFN. The hate part... maybe it's because of the change of the MC's, because the first and second half didn't mash. But one already is invested. Half of the fucked-up things happening don't even register until one's done because one goes numb in between.
If you want to read this book be prepared: don't start this at night. Prepare a comfort read, and be prepared that the first and second half don't fit well together.
This book takes you on a roller coaster, and while I loved the first half... the second one just didn't fit. Toshis' character changed a bit too much
The plot was good, even if a bit confusing as the first 50% are slow, and the last 20% mega rushed. Also, the headhopping - it's a thing. Better get used to it.
I'm torn about this book. 0-55% = 5✩, 60-75%= 4✩, rest= 3✩ - 4✩ from me, because I love-hate S.A.Payne. Their books are always gut-punching, even if there's no relationship angst. But this book leaves you hollow. Heroes&Ghosts is one of my fav books ever (still not an easy read, but lighter? The ending brings closure), but this one...it's HFN. The hate part... maybe it's because of the change of the MC's, because the first and second half didn't mash. But one already is invested. Half of the fucked-up things happening don't even register until one's done because one goes numb in between.
If you want to read this book be prepared: don't start this at night. Prepare a comfort read, and be prepared that the first and second half don't fit well together.
February 7, 2019
I couldn't finish this book. It needs a serious editor to go through and rip it apart. The run on sentences were eventually too much for me, and what may have been an enjoyable story was ruined. Also multiple sentences that didn't make sense and seemed to connect to things that must have been deleted?
Also, personal opinion, but 10 dollars for a book so poorly edited is highway robbery. Bitterly disappointed.
Also, personal opinion, but 10 dollars for a book so poorly edited is highway robbery. Bitterly disappointed.
December 30, 2017
Couldn't finish.
dnf
July 25, 2024idk why i keep on trying to read books ik i will not like 😭
September 1, 2018
Extremely well written independent series. Great characters, well developed and likeable. I love the concept of post plague world recovery. I love forward to reading more of the world and getting a deeper understanding of the history and how Toshi, Mick and Andy develop.
October 2, 2013
How can it be that such an amazing, talented writer has such bad grammar? I think I've bitched about this in every single review I've written for of S.A Payne's books. However, this being the third I've read, I'm almost used to it now. It's like her books are partly written in code; once you get familiar with it, the 'mistakes' stop being so jarring. Maybe the author simply disagrees with the widely accepted rules of punctuation applied to the written English language and decided to do it her own way, screw everyone else. Or maybe she just has such natural, raw talent that one day she decided to write a book without having ever studied the process and it came out, if filled with horrendous grammatical errors, like literary gold. I don't know. I think I'm going to go torture myself with the second book in this series and then write yet another review agonizing over the same things again.
April 1, 2015
"You smell right to me" has somehow become sweeter and more tender of a phrasing than any "I love you" could have been.
Seriously. I feel like I've cheated the author with the $4 website pass. Not only is this the third book that I've enjoyed, almost all the works are lengthy as well. I'm clearly getting a steal here. I would buy them on amazon kindle for 3.99 each, and Payne could make much more off me, although I would want better editing with the grammar if that happened.
I'm keeping the nose to the ground on new works, because I've got a bit of a fan girl author crush going on here. I'm going to devour all the completed works over this week, and maybe into next. Fast reader, but yay, so much length and slow burn.
Get into the self-publishing scene on amazon, etc! Write new stuff! I want to share you, but a website is harder for me to share.
But seriously, anyone on the fence, the blurb doesn't sound very exciting, but I swear it's great.
Seriously. I feel like I've cheated the author with the $4 website pass. Not only is this the third book that I've enjoyed, almost all the works are lengthy as well. I'm clearly getting a steal here. I would buy them on amazon kindle for 3.99 each, and Payne could make much more off me, although I would want better editing with the grammar if that happened.
I'm keeping the nose to the ground on new works, because I've got a bit of a fan girl author crush going on here. I'm going to devour all the completed works over this week, and maybe into next. Fast reader, but yay, so much length and slow burn.
Get into the self-publishing scene on amazon, etc! Write new stuff! I want to share you, but a website is harder for me to share.
But seriously, anyone on the fence, the blurb doesn't sound very exciting, but I swear it's great.
February 5, 2011
I take back what I read about said about New Again
This is the BEST S.A. Payne book I've read so far. I can't say enough wonderful things about her exquisitely twisted mind. The spelling errors are slightly distracting but Toshi and Amun's burgeoning relationship, the GOD-awful lives they've both lead, the jaw dropping twists and turns, all overpower lack of proofreading. I'm eager to read the sequel. Even if it's 490 freckin' pages.
This is the BEST S.A. Payne book I've read so far. I can't say enough wonderful things about her exquisitely twisted mind. The spelling errors are slightly distracting but Toshi and Amun's burgeoning relationship, the GOD-awful lives they've both lead, the jaw dropping twists and turns, all overpower lack of proofreading. I'm eager to read the sequel. Even if it's 490 freckin' pages.
January 8, 2012
Blurring the Lines was one of the first M/M books I've read. Naturally, my mileage is longer now and, yes, the editing bothers me quite a bit, but, then, English is not my first language and I'm certain I didn't catch all the problems. But, Ms. Payne's imagination is still brilliant and the story survived both the passage of time and second reading. Both her men were abused in different manner, but they find strength in each other and I enjoyed them and the world building very much. I think I'll read the sequels and short stories soon. ^^
March 15, 2012
I am loving it so far, but I am confused about many things. Like what exactly are Inkies? What is that shine? How this addiction differs from all others? How did I/S appeared in this world (got some explanation very late in the story), but still want more (maybe waits ahead). Why are they called like that, how did the world end up this way and what is this way actually?
I'm just not used to still be so confused so late in the story about the world in the story.
I'm just not used to still be so confused so late in the story about the world in the story.
December 12, 2013
way too many info dumps that were out of character and way to expositiony throughout the intire thing characters that had the sole role of telling us the main characters past! when they were together it was sweet and i liked micks submissive side and the way it didnt take away from his strength, the book was only a tiny bit slut shamy but very gender positive. the romance was too fast to start but they did talk alot about themselves so it was ok...
February 24, 2011
4,5 stars
January 2, 2011
4.5 stars
Brilliant concept, well executed - completely un-copy-edited. Mostly spelling errors, but for a book this good, the structural errors are doubly annoying.
Brilliant concept, well executed - completely un-copy-edited. Mostly spelling errors, but for a book this good, the structural errors are doubly annoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2011
4.5 stars
March 17, 2011
as always, abysmal editing and a fantastic story.
January 31, 2012
What an amazing writer and story! The editing is bad (which is why I'm only giving 4.25 stars) but I've read much worse.
March 19, 2015
Seemed to drag in parts, especially towards the end. Has several spelling and grammatical errors that were difficult to get past. Would have liked to know more about the setting location.
October 30, 2014
I was really hoping till the end that it would turn into an mpreg story with Toshi being a half-breed and all hehee ^_^ but still I came to love Toshi and Mick so 5 stars for them.
November 6, 2014
One big (and I mean really big) peeve: if you're going to set a book in an alternate future, don't be afraid to tell people WHERE on Earth you're setting it!!!! Drove me spare!
April 22, 2017
3.5 stars
A world of extreme contradictions. My overall impression is of a mean aggressive society full of hatred and bigotry. This contrasts with small pockets of kind, embracing communes of peace and acceptance. Our two MCs experience both extremes; fortunately they remain beautiful.
An excerpt from the book pretty much explains the whole environment:
"This man who had no reason to trust people, who had been used and cast aside, beaten and abandoned, easily trusted when he should never trust again. This man who had seen the worst of human ugliness yet still clung to an ideal of honor and justice." I won't say about whom this sentence refers.
My difficulty with this book is the grammar. In every circumstance, 'than' is used rather than 'then'; 'expect', rather than 'except'. And the sentences could be ambiguous, requiring rereading to ensure the correct interpretation. It distracted me from the story.
But as the ending approached, the more involved I became; overlooking the wrong words (by that stage I was used to substituting ;) and getting into the plot. So in the end I did really enjoy the book ~ thought it would benefit with an excellent editor.
A world of extreme contradictions. My overall impression is of a mean aggressive society full of hatred and bigotry. This contrasts with small pockets of kind, embracing communes of peace and acceptance. Our two MCs experience both extremes; fortunately they remain beautiful.
An excerpt from the book pretty much explains the whole environment:
"This man who had no reason to trust people, who had been used and cast aside, beaten and abandoned, easily trusted when he should never trust again. This man who had seen the worst of human ugliness yet still clung to an ideal of honor and justice." I won't say about whom this sentence refers.
My difficulty with this book is the grammar. In every circumstance, 'than' is used rather than 'then'; 'expect', rather than 'except'. And the sentences could be ambiguous, requiring rereading to ensure the correct interpretation. It distracted me from the story.
But as the ending approached, the more involved I became; overlooking the wrong words (by that stage I was used to substituting ;) and getting into the plot. So in the end I did really enjoy the book ~ thought it would benefit with an excellent editor.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews