Title: Leather + Lace
Series: Opposites Attract 02
Author: A.B. Gayle
Genre: Contemporary, BDSM, Kink
Length: Super Novel (304pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (22nd March 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Swathed in chiffon and lace, Steven Stanhope owns the stage as Stevie Tricks, lip-synching the songs of the famous gypsy queen. But after he escapes an abusive Master/slave relationship, the only collar he’ll allow around his neck is black velvet.
After a four-year absence, Steve is ready to reclaim his life and the property he left behind. But is it safe? Definitely not if his ex is still into leather. To find out, Steve appears at a charity night for the local BDSM community, using the anonymity of his stage persona to mask his identity.
Instead of his ex-Master, Julius, Steve finds a tangled mess centered around another Master of Leather, Donato Rossi. In order to unravel their ties to the past, Steve and Don must find common ground and work together. In the process, they learn that when it comes to love, sometimes you have to make your own rules.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3658&cPath=798
Review: This story is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. Steve is finally ready to return home after four years and hopefully reclaim what is his. But, first he has to make sure that his ex-master, Julius, isn’t around and if he is that he isn’t into leather anymore. So Steve appears at a charity event for the local BDSM community and although there is no Julius, there is a Master D who is determined to talk to Steve. Donato is an American leather Master and his new venture in Australia could be hanging in the balance. He has a lot to discuss with Steve, the sub who abandoned his Master and tries to come to some sort of arrangement. But, everything he was told isn’t true and he has to untangle the mess that Julius created. But, can a mentally scarred sub who refuses to have anything to do with BDSM and a confident Dom who loves the lifestyle find a middle ground that suits them?
This is a story about a man who got lost in BDSM and suffered the consequences of a Dom who immersed himself in the Old School Master/slave relationship. Steve fled to the U.K. four years ago when he escaped from an increasingly abusive Master/slave relationship. He left it all behind and worked hard to find himself again. But, now the time has come to reclaim what he left behind. But, nothing is ever easy and Steve has to handle Donato, a leather Master. But, Donato makes him long for things he shouldn’t want anymore. Donato just wants to get business sorted, but Steve proves to be more complex than he realized. Discovering the truth behind Julius and Steve’s relationship leaves him horrified and although Donato and Steve become close, they both know that BDSM is something that Steve just can’t handle anymore, so how can they be together?
I have to say this is a wonderful story of a man discovering what he truly wants and needs and seeking a way to overcome his emotional scars and fears. Steve is a strong character; he has been through hell and with help has come out the other side. But, he still has a past to put to rest. Donato is a hard character to get to know. Although, we get some background on him, he seems to have a shell that surrounds him so we only get to know him superficially. He is a huge help to Steve and they end up meshing very well together. The storyline is very well done and the way it is written is brilliant at drawing you in. making you see the damage done to a young man who wanted to do anything for the man he loved, a man who lost himself in BDSM.
This is a story that shows you that if you don’t limit yourself and don’t know when to pull in the reins, just how wrong things can go. This isn’t just about what is happening in the here and now, but also what happened in the past. Would things have been different if Steve had pulled in the reins sooner? If instead of giving in, he had stuck by his disquiet? Steve has to finally admit to himself that it wasn’t just the BDSM’s fault, and that the two men involved were at fault too. Donato has great patience and it comes in handy when dealing with Steve. He holds him when he has to, but he also lets Steve go when Steve needs it, whether Steve realizes it or not. They make a great couple in this book and the content of the book is scorching and at times erotic. Although, for the first few chapters I had a sour taste in my mouth, because of the opening scenes, those were not my cup of tea at al
I will recommend this to those that love emotionally scarred men, overcoming the past, discovering what you truly want, and finding love again and a happy ending.