M/M BDSM anthology
4/5 stars
Rules To Live By is an anthology which contains four stories with a gay BDSM theme. I enjoyed all of the stories, although as is usually the case in anthologies, I enjoyed some more than others. For me the stories ranged from 3 stars to 5 stars, so overall I've given this book four out of five stars.
Master Key by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox
3/5 stars
Main kink - chastity
Master Key was my least favourite of the four stories, but it was still an okay read. Marquis and Navin have been dating for a year, but their relationship is on the rocks. Workaholic Marquis is constantly late and gets so involved in his work it seems to Navin that he forgets that he exists. As a last ditch attempt to save the relationship, Marquis gives Navin the key to a cage he will wear in a very intimate place. To him this symbolises his commitment and will hopefully remind him to leave work on time and to let Navin know if he will be late. Unfortunately neither Marquis or Navin are great communicators and things start to fall apart again.
I'm not sure why, but I struggled to connect with the main characters. Their relationship didn't seem very strong - after being together a year love still hadn't been mentioned. I tend to like alpha male characters in the dominant role and Navin just didn't seem very Dom-ly to me. This story just wasn't for me unfortunately.
House Rules by Cari Z
4/5 stars
Main kink - domestic discipline
I really enjoyed this domestic discipline short story. Jonathan has serious health problems and needs the discipline his partner Alistair gives him to ensure that he takes care of himself. Actor Alistair is at the Oscars with reclusive Jonathan home alone. When he doesn't follow the rules he earns a punishment, followed by a reward.
This was a great story with fantastic characters. The storyline of Alistair using domestic discipline to help Jonathan was interesting and believable. Really well written, I just wish it was a bit longer.
The Harder They Fall by Heidi Belleau and Lisa Henry
4/5 stars
Main kink - Daddy Dom/boy
The Harder They Fall will probably divide opinion - I loved it, but the 'Daddy' kink may be too extreme for others. This story is well written and seriously hot!
Tad is an obnoxious, often cruel brat who likes to visit a high class brothel to humiliate the young prostitues. This time he decided he wants to humiliate the oldest prostitute, a decision he may regret. 'Daddy' knows how to show the spoilt rich boy the error of his ways, and gives him the discipline he has never received. As well as physical discipline a'Daddy' also uses humiliation to show Tad how his victims felt. Tad is not bad at heart - he's just been spoilt, never shown love or care, and he acts up to get attention. The is a sexy tale of a naughty boy submitting to his 'Daddy' and learning to be a good boy. I would love to see more of this couple and find out what happened next.
CTRL Me by Anna Zabo
5/5 stars
Main kink - bondage
CTRL Me is a fantastic friends to lovers tale that is my favourite story from this collection. Tom and Gabe are bi-sexual work colleagues who have become good friends. After splitting up with his girlfriend, Tom is persuaded to go out for drinks with Gabe. The chemistry between these two is red hot and the sparks begin to fly.
Both characters are really likable, and the connection between them is strong. I loved the pair discovering that they had mutual kinks, and the resulting scenes were fantastic. Gabe was a caring, sweet Dom - I soon fell in love with him - and Tom is just adorable.
This is a great story that definitely deserves five stars. I'd love to read more about Tom and Gabe, please can we have a sequel Ms Zabo?!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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