Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired discussion

Goodreads Synopsis
Sometimes, love hurts...if you’re lucky.

How can you refuse when a dying friend asks you for the biggest favor of all? Kaden and Seth have been best friends for over forty years. So when Kaden confesses not only that he’s dying, but that he wants Seth to take over as his wife’s Dom in their BDSM relationship, it rocks his world.

Seth has always seen himself as the perpetual screw-up and Kaden as the strong and steady one. To find out he is the only one Kaden trusts to protect and care for his wife, Leah, is a shock.

Now Seth finds himself immersed in a role he’s far from comfortable with—inflicting pain to provide emotional comfort for the woman he’s secretly loved for years. Can he deal with his crushing grief and learn the skills he must master in time to become THE RELUCTANT DOM?

EXPECT SPOILERS

I've only read one chapter yet. Gonna finish my other book and pick this up later.

That works for me. I've just finished my second chapter, but I've got another book I need to finish as well.

I'm going to hang out here and see what y'all have to say about this. I loved this story and have read it a couple of times :) And cried each time.

There's not much hope for me then, I've cried at every Nicholas Sparks book so i'll definitely be crying through this one.

I'm not sure if I'll cry. I'm planning on being like ShoSho and remaining stoic through the read, but enjoy it anyway :-)

That's the plan... who knows if it'll happen.

I'm at the end of chapter 4, how do you want to do this, formal questions after a specified set of chapters, or just general thoughts about what's going on?

I will admit I've already had a few lumpy throat moments

I've only just started reading this one now. think I'm on chapter 2, we can do it however you want.

I've so many books to read this month and I'm really tempted to join you but I think I'll stick to lurking .

Ok, I'm going to go with general discussion then, cos I like keeping it casual :-)

One of the things I think the author is doing really well, is conveying Seth's feelings of all of this spinning him out. He's trying, you can tell he's trying, but he's so out of his comfort zone. Would you have moved in? Do you think all of this planning is maybe helping Kayden to cope as well, makes him feel like he at least has control of something when the length of his life is out of his control?

Do you think the title could apply to both Kayden and Seth, in a way?

What are your thoughts about Leah so far in this? i felt so sorry for her when Kayden explained her backstory to Seth, but I'm also a bit weirded out how well she seems to be taking being handed over to Seth... I think it would have made it more believable if they'd ever "played" with others, but they've had a strictly monogamous relationship, no scenes with anyone else outside of training, and now they're all ok with Seth stepping in... does that seem incongruous to you?

Ha ha I was already to answer then you threw in some big word that I don't have clue what it means.

Thats what i'm liking about it, think the story wouldn't have been as good if it was from Kaden's (loving the name) or Leahs point of view. Seths making me laugh sometimes when he gets freaked out. Ha ha ha NO its making me think you don't know whose in to this lifestyle considering they kept it quiet for 20 years.

I think its helping Kaden cope especially because the job he does he's probably used to control. And the fact his dad went through this and Leahs history will make him try to get everything sorted as quickly as possible.

I've been wondering about the title not sure if it relates to both of them or just Seth.

Her back story is awful i'm surprised she's as ok as she is. Hmm I thought the same thing, considering she hasn't ever had that kind of relationship with Seth she got naked pretty quick.

I'm only up to the first night so he hasn't moved in yet but.

incongruous? sorry, it means out of place.

Lol yes.

Check you email

Did you know that I liked this book so much that after I read it I went on Kobo and bought it from them too? Although I don't like their cover

ha ha and I thought I was bad

Oh my goodness, what a situation! I'm just about to start chapter 8 and I'm falling for Seth more and more.

I've just started chapter 6 I want to go to bed but think i'll read till chapter 7. I really like Seth so far.

OK, I got to the end of chapter 11 and I'm going to leave it there for today, I'm in a happy place with it, and I've got some other books I want to get to for challenges before the end of the week.

I have to say that the emotion behind all this is great, in that it is all so understandable. I'm really happy that Seth is really hesitant about jumping into everything, and that we get to experience his thought processes.I have a bunch of questions for you but don't want to spoil anything so going to hide them. Do you have any questions for me?

(view spoiler)[
Do you think Baxter might cause problems later?

Did you suspect at first that the sangria jug hadn't been an accident? Do you think it was smart of Seth to make her come to his bed rather than sharing the Master Bedroom one with her while Kaden was away?

Do you think Denise will cause more problems for them once she discovers how Kaden has planned out his estate?

What did you think of the big reveal about Leah's feelings? Do you think that makes things better or worse for Seth knowing what's ahead? (hide spoiler)]

:-( I didn't get a notification.

I'm going to good and not read the spoiler till I get to chapter 11. Going to read my other book for a few hours then read this one this afternoon.

No probs, I couldn't help myself and ended up reading a little bit further, but I'm deep into my Cynsters book now, so will keep going with that until you catch up :-)

OH MAN!!! I've been dying to read this. I can't wait to hear what you all think of it.

Loving it so far

I'm not sure if Baxter will cause any more problems after the scene at the club.

I think he made a good choice about going to his bedroom especially because Kade wasn't there and Seth was still uncomfortable.

I don't think we've heard the last of Denise.

I think the big reveal made it a lot easier for Seth especially when he realised they planned this even if Kaden hadn't got sick.

Finished off my other book so only picking this back up now. I'm about to start chapter 17.

Ok, so have you cried yet? Is the fact that you've been able to pick it up and read others in between, helped to keep you a bit seperate from it? I didn't want to, but I ended up crying... not a bawl-like-a-baby but there were definitely tears and sniffles :-(

Yaay CaroB you're finished , I have a Q
Elishia don't read the spoiler until you're finished .

(view spoiler)[ Do you think the title is about both of them or just one of them ?
I think the reluctant dom was Kaden not Seth. He was unsure and reluctant but he was sure at the end of the book , but Kade was a "reluctant dom" the whole time. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah that was one of the questions I asked Elishia too.

(view spoiler)[
I think it was about both of them in a way. Seth was definitely reluctant, very much so at the beginning of the book, but even though Kaden was such a control freak, through the journals you get a real feel for his own reluctance in taking that up.

I also thought the love between the two men was really well done. It was never sexual, but it was definitely intimate.
(hide spoiler)]

I'm going to buy another one of her books in the next week or so, I hope it lives up to expectation...

Ok, I have a question for everyone who's marked this 5 stars:

Would you have rated this book as high, if it weren't erotica / bdsm? Is it because it's an erotica that the depth of the emotion portrayed seems to be more poignant?

when I was reading the erotic and sex scenes , I was feeling guilty.You know the "The characters are going through this drama and I think this is hot?!" feeling .
So I believe I'd have enjoyed and rated it the same. and of course erotica/BDSM part was tasteful and it was a bonus!

Ha ha nope so far I haven't cried but i'm only going into the last part of the book now so that could all change. I think in my head i'm still hoping for a miracle even though I know its not going to happen :-(.

Even though I want to i'll be good and not read the spoilers.

Are you liking it Elishia? Or do you think it's been a little over-hyped?

I really like it, its different to the other BDSM books i've read.

I rated it 5 stars cause of the emotional depth of it. I think the BDSM added to that emotion.

I finished I agree with Susan about the 5 stars.
As for the title I was thinking the same thing this morning that it was both of them, because they wouldn't have gone into that lifestyle for anyone else its was the fact that they loved Leah and she needed it. I liked that bit towards the end showing that Kaden was reluctant as well.