Title: Broken Bonds
Series: Souls in Bondage, Book #1
Author: Lex Valentine
Genre: BDSM
Length: Novella (84 pages)
Publisher: Lex Valentine (December 24th 2012)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: The one thing Haven Noel wants for his Christmas birthday is for his master, Kellen, to love him. But the wonderful Christmas Eve Haven plans for his master goes awry and instead of receiving his master’s love, Haven ends up on the street without his collar. Heartbroken, Haven heads to the club where he and Kellen originally met, only to find it closed.
With a blizzard descending and nowhere to go, Haven curls up on the club doorstep, courting death. Hopeless and shattered, on the verge of losing consciousness, he makes a wish for Kellen to find happiness some day. Two angels with a vested interest in Haven and Kellen’s happiness hear his wish and conspire with Kellen’s family to save Haven’s life, bring love back to Kellen’s heart and give them both the best kinky Christmas ever.
Reviewer: Tams
Review: It’s the M/M version of A Christmas Carol, complete with the deceased lover turned Guardian Angel.
Kellen is a Dom with a broken heart. He hasn’t been the same since his longtime partner died several years ago. He took Haven in as his submissive almost a year prior to this Christmas, but he has never fully opened up in the relationship. His partner died just during the Holidays so Kellen refuses to celebrate. When Haven plans a surprise Christmas Eve dinner Kellen is furious and throws Haven out in a blizzard in a fit of anger.
Kellen is visited by an angel, his dead angel, who takes him on a journey of Haven’s life. The road Haven travelled that lead him to Kellen. It doesn’t take long for Kellen to realize his heart is no longer broken, it actually belongs to Haven.
In Valentines ‘Souls in Bondage’ series, Doms are meant to love, protect and shield their subs. It’s written to be a give and take relationship with the dominant in control, needing to control and the submissive relenting, needing to be controlled. Kellen is cruel and hateful at the start, but when he realizes just what’s at stake he quickly changes his tune. I don’t usually read the BDSM because the harshness isn’t my style, but this book and this series is a nice departure from the norm. If you’re looking for something short, heartwarming, and a little bit sexy, then Broken Bonds is a good choice.