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Stained Glass

by Jaime Samms (Goodreads Author)

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 117 ratings · 27 reviews

The violent implosion of Lawrence McKenna's last relationship left him floundering at the bottom of a bottle. Recently unemployed and struggling with his newly discovered submissive tendencies, Laurie needs his best friend, Jeff, more than ever. One sleepless night of detox and a desperate kiss convince him that the attraction they've battled all their lives has become too...more

ebook, 214 pages

Published August 27th 2012 by Dreamspinner Press

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Mar 16, 2013 Jason Huffman-black rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, bdsm, ccr, ebook, m-m

writing this as I read because this is complex.
(view spoiler)...more

14 likes · like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Vio rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: drama, angst, erotic-romance, frustrating, not-bad-but-not-great, not-really-for-me

2.5 stars
After having time to stew about it more, it definitely wasn't for me, I'm not in the mood to review because I don`t know why but it rubbed me the wrong way.

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Ayanna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnr, lul-wut, kill-it-with-fire, reviewed, hahahaha-no

I think - judging by the reviews - I approached this a little differently than other people did.

It was an interesting character study, I think, one that didn't seem to have a lot of unnecessary/contrived melodrama.

I wasn't necessarily annoyed by any of the characters, per se, at least, not until Sofia started coming on really strong on the "psychologist knows best" schtick.

I was also annoyed at everyone else's insistence on blaming pm everything on Nash. There was definitely blame all around and...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, d-s, favorites, glbt, m-m, psychological-drama, verbal-abuse, emotional-abuse, suicide, alcoholism

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills.” – Ernest Hemingway

Jamie Samms’ Stained Glass is an emotionally turbulent story of survival, the story of Lawrence McKenna, a man who in the hands of the wrong Dom discovers that he is a sexual submissive, and must afterward cope with what that means to him and how his baser needs change the definition of who he is. Laurie is a man who uses alcohol as an emotional and physical N...more “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills.” – Ernest Hemingway

Jamie Samms’ Stained Glass is an emotionally turbulent story of survival, the story of Lawrence McKenna, a man who in the hands of the wrong Dom discovers that he is a sexual submissive, and must afterward cope with what that means to him and how his baser needs change the definition of who he is. Laurie is a man who uses alcohol as an emotional and physical Novocain, using it to deaden the pain in the aftermath of Nash Winter’s psychological flailing and subsequent suicide, numbing himself to the words and memories that continue to claw their way into his subconscious, words that hold the power to break an already fragmented soul.

This is a story of healing, but in doing so, Laurie must first confront those memories, the good, the bad, and the ugly of his relationship with Nash, and find the strength buried within the broken places before he will be able to admit that his submission is not a weakness, nor is the pleasure he finds in the sort of control he desires a defect, even if it means finding his truths with a substitute for the man he wants but cannot have.

Stained Glass is a story of friendships and family, not the kind where those closest to you prop you up and tell you what you want to hear, but the kind where those who love you the most sit you down and tell you the truth, even if that truth is painful to hear and accept.

This is the story of one friendship in particular, one that could be so much more if the timing and circumstances weren’t determined to undermine the men involved. Jeff and Laurie mean the world to each other, but that world seems resolved to bend them to the point of breaking, to the point where their love and their need for each other becomes like a weakness that neither are strong enough to bear until they can repair what’s most damaged in them both.

Jamie Samms has written a powerful and provocative story of two imperfect men, men who are shattered, whose lives are stained by misery, who are struggling to put the pieces of their lives back together so that with and for each other they can be whole and can each be whom the other needs in order to find peace.

Stained Glass is an angst heavy book that does nothing to sugarcoat the reality of the lives of its characters. It’s a raw and candid story of emotional abuse, alcoholism, suicide, and salvation, definitely not for the faint-hearted but most definitely a story I loved.

TNA (less)

8 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Adriana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, male-male, bdsm-or-kinks, drama-need-tissues, cool-pretty-or-hot-cover

I don't have words to describe how I felt reading this book.
Too much in just 200 pages, so much issues in one story, and that gets a little overwhelming at times: the friends to lovers, BDSM, drinking, cancer, new bussiness... and many things are wrapped up in one book.
I loved some parts and hated others, sometimes I just wanted to shake and yell to the characters, and sometimes I wanted to hug and pet them.
At the end it was a really good experience, but this is not for everyone.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Vastine Bondurant rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'd had the privilege of reading much of this book during its writing, and couldn't wait for its release.

And all I can say is...Jaime Samms has done it again. Another beautiful rendering of real life with all its bumps and not-so-pretties. Yet, again, she's presented that realism with a gifted blend of gritty, unforgiving, in-your-face truth and I'm-in-your-shoes understanding and love. I don't know how Samms does this, but it's her specialty.

Having dealt with alcoholism up close and personal...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Lena Grey rated it 5 of 5 stars

The phrase 'tough love' may sound like an oxymoron, but sometimes, it's exactly what people need. Loving someone enough to stand by and let them hurt while solving their own problems is one of the greatest gifts anyone can bestow upon someone else. In 'Stained Glass' by Jaime Samms, Lawrence McKenna is in trouble, but being rescued will not solve his problems; in fact, it will make them worse. Laurie needs to learn to be strong on his own before he's ready to share his life with someone else. Fo...more The phrase 'tough love' may sound like an oxymoron, but sometimes, it's exactly what people need. Loving someone enough to stand by and let them hurt while solving their own problems is one of the greatest gifts anyone can bestow upon someone else. In 'Stained Glass' by Jaime Samms, Lawrence McKenna is in trouble, but being rescued will not solve his problems; in fact, it will make them worse. Laurie needs to learn to be strong on his own before he's ready to share his life with someone else. Fortunately, Laurie has an amazing group of friends who are willing to try and keep him safe, as he wallows through his issues, without trying to 'fix' them for him. The rest is up to Laurie.

Laurie is falling apart because his now deceased ex-boyfriend betrayed his trust. Nash manipulated Laurie in to a position where he was uncomfortable and instead of protecting him, left him hanging which created all kinds of emotional havoc. Worse yet, after extorting Laurie's weaknesses, he went so far as to turn the weaknesses against him, which left Laurie feeling like a whore rather than his lover. When Laurie tries to leave him, Nash made a violent effort to destroy them both. Laurie is trapped in a vicious cycle of self hatred, anger, despair, and guilt. He loses all sense of direction; he tries to drown his pain by drinking too much, but that's clearly not the answer. Fortunately, his friends intervene. Laurie's struggle to find balance again is excruciating; especially the flashbacks of Nash's voice whispering his obscene, hateful messages repeatedly. When he and his best friend, Jeff, cross the line between friends and lovers, Jeff leaves, unable and unwilling to watch Laurie destroy himself. Laurie, once again, feels the pain of rejection and loss; he's furious at Jeff for leaving when he needed him most. He lashes out at Jeff by trying to shut him out of his life while he explores who he really is and if his desire to be submissive is valid. He goes back and forth with his feelings about Jeff and even tries to convince himself that even if Jeff did come back, he wouldn't be the person Laurie needed.

One of the awesome things about this story is Laurie's eccentric, talented, and loyal-to-a-fault friends. They take turns standing by Laurie while he's wallowing in his angst and self-pity, offering support and keeping him safe, but realize this is something he must work through himself or it won't work. He's a very lucky man and should be grateful for their concern. After a while, Laurie can't help but see that they have his best interests at heart. They add perspective by reminding him of his role in their lives and he begins to realize that their view of him may be closer to who he is than what he thinks at the present. Laurie eventually sees that the parts of his personality that he deems so unacceptable, are not.

This is a story full of angst and stark realism and the often painful road to redemption. It faces the issues of not using alcohol as an anesthetic against pain and a Dom/sub relationship gone wrong, in a realistic and matter-of-fact way. Pulling no punches, Jaime explores the importance of believing in yourself and never letting anyone intimidate you. On a more positive note, the story reminds us how precious real friendship and love can be. I recommend this book to readers who like stories containing struggles, ups and downs, and introspection in a graphic package. Thanks, Jaime, for the outstanding emotional roller coaster ride.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Right off, I’m going to let you know that I struggle with BDSM books. I don’t understand the need for dominance or submission, I just don’t get it. Why do I read them? I’m totally down with the S&M parts, that’s a need I understand and enjoy reading about. It’s always a toss up for me when I pick up a BDSM book because I’m never sure which way it’s going to go. If a main character is submissive, I will have trouble connecting with him. Take that into consideration when you read this review.

T...more Right off, I’m going to let you know that I struggle with BDSM books. I don’t understand the need for dominance or submission, I just don’t get it. Why do I read them? I’m totally down with the S&M parts, that’s a need I understand and enjoy reading about. It’s always a toss up for me when I pick up a BDSM book because I’m never sure which way it’s going to go. If a main character is submissive, I will have trouble connecting with him. Take that into consideration when you read this review.

The most important person in this book is Laurie. He just got out of a bad relationship, a really bad relationship. He is devastated by the way the relationship ended and confused about things he learned about himself during the relationship. It gave him his first taste for bondage and submission. He learned to crave the safety he felt in them. Once it’s all gone, Laurie has no idea how to cope and turns to alcohol to escape.

Laurie’s friends see him struggling and jump in to help. Leading the cause is his best friend Jeff. They’ve always had a mild attraction but the close quarters prove too much for Jeff. He takes off once he realizes he can’t control his desire for Laurie. Another friend steps in to take over in Jeff’s absence. Laurie’s friends help him get his life together and stop drinking. One major aspect of that recovery is to determine his role in a D/s relationship. Jeff tells Laurie he has to figure that out for himself before Jeff will come back into his life. They know they love each other, but won’t know if they’re compatible in that way until Laurie figures out what he needs in a relationship.

Laurie’s struggle with submission was a big issue for me. I read the words, I understood their meaning, but his emotions didn’t resonate with me. It’s a fairly big issue in this book and that part was lost on me. Even though I didn’t connect with Laurie on that level, I still liked him. He was a bit whiny for my taste, but I wanted him to be happy. Jeff deserted Laurie pretty early on. He was too distant for me to get a read on him. He seemed like a decent guy but I only got to know him through a few interactions and a couple phone calls. Laurie’s other friends were much more prominent. They were an eclectic group and I liked them.

A couple things bugged me.

1. I thought Laurie healed too easily. He was just out of an abusive relationship, his best friend deserted him in his time of need, and he was a dysfunctional alcoholic. I have a hard time believing a few months and the support of friends were enough to turn his life around. It
was too easy.

2. After Laurie’s miraculous turn around, every other aspect of his life worked out perfectly. Jeff was the perfect partner and every other loose end was tied up nice and neat. It was too convenient for me.

I was in the mood for messy and painful. I didn’t get it. Laurie was certainly dealing with enough emotional pain, but my lack of connection kept me from feeling it. I think it would be a lot more meaningful to readers who can identify with a character like him. While it was an enjoyable read, I feel like I missed out on a big portion of it.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

A new to me author, whose other books I will definitely be checking out. This was a wonderfully angsty book that took a realistic look at addiction. The narrator is in a dark place when the book opens, I like how the author sprinkled in information about how he reached that place, rather than dumping it all on us at once. It's different from a lot of m/m I read, because it's mostly about Laurie and discovering himself (and learning to cope with trauma and alcoholism), rather than about him falli...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm, contemporary, queer, romance

Overall
A very different kind of romance that focuses less on the main relationship and more on one man's struggles to recover from alcoholism and his past.

Review
Readers looking for a kinky romance should go elsewhere. While kink is involved, this story centers more around psychology and overcoming life obstacles than it does kink. And while romance plays the guiding light, it's also secondary to character development and maturation. In many ways, this isn't a romance at all.

That said, I still th...more

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 13, 2012 Yoshi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Hot cover - it's the reason why I picked up this book.

It started nicely. But all the friends around the MC were too annoying - yes, I know they all wanted to help.
I thought it's a story of Lawrence's journey to heal. Well, he did quit the drinking. But emotionally, he was only less damaged as the beginning of the story. He should seek professional help but not just a fuck from his best childhood friend (Love) against the window. Strangely, his supposed to be straight friend came back home to be...more

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook-non-lendable, m-m, romance-erotica, friends-to-lovers, bdsm

This book was ok for me. It was a little too unrealistic for me that Laurie could just clean himself up and after being abused by his Dom and watching the Dom die, I just don't see him jumping back into dating or sex, and I don't see him getting through any of it without the help of a psychiatrist or psychologist. I don't believe that a friend staying with him would keep him sober, and that talking to another friend would get him passed his issues.

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Dec 07, 2012 Mandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-mm

3 stars with 1 star given to that cover! Guh, I love it!

Story was good, very well written and believable. Though I never warmed up to Jeff, maybe because he wasn't in most of the story. And I was left without the feeling of the two main characters having their HEA (which might just be me, but that's how I felt).

1 like · like · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Aria Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars

wow. Okay, very dark and very sad. But, since I haven't personally felt those emotions, it wasn't as painful to read as I expected. I might have shed a tear or two...but I wasn't in knots like some people might be. I could have also done with a little more sex. ;-) but, definitely recommend!!!

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Sep 05, 2012 Marsha Spence rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm

This was an incredible read. Jaime Samms has a way of really getting to me with her damaged characters. This was beautifully written with a fantastic cast of supporting characters. Andy in particular. I really, really enjoyed it.

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Aug 13, 2012 Shaz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, mm-bdsm-d-s-kink

This book was like a rollercoaster for me. At certain points throughout the book I think I've hated nearly every character and yet then loved them.

They all had their good points and their bad ones. All had faults and then managed to redeem themselves in the next breath. Honestly, they were all human!
And amazingly this book managed to portrey them as such. This is possibly what makes this story so powerful, so gripping. There are human failings going on all over the place. Broken people, dealin...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Randy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Without any characters I could empathize with (they're all jerks), I found it a trudge to get through. I'm one or two chapters from the end, but I don't even care to finish it.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 12, 2012 Page Crusherz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Good read, hard to read sometimes, but I really cared about the characters.

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Apr 14, 2013 Connie rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very emotional and intense story. I really like it.

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Aug 28, 2012 Sagajo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm, drama, m-m

Good, but at times a bit tedious.

1 like · like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Syfy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, gay-fiction, m-m-bdsm, m-m-romance

A jagged little pill: It’s a great story, a complicated story, one I felt privileged to read. I’ve got no objectivity whatsoever concerning this book.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 29, 2012 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 rounded up to 4

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Sep 02, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: orannia

Shelves: 2012, ebook, gay, bdsm, romance, done

Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who's only recently realized he's a sub, but who's been almost destroyed by his dom imploding. He retreats into a bottle, but his friends are not ready to lose him.

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Summer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bdsm, bdsm-countdown-challenge, emotional, hea-m-m, m-m

I did enjoy the story, but at times it felt a bit like a therapy session. I was okay with the intirum relationship that it took to get Lawrence and Jeff together, but wish there was more about their relationship after they actually got together.

******
If you liked this book you may enjoy the following groups:
Erotic Enchants Group
Menage Readers Group

1 like · like · see review

Dec 29, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-lendable

I spent most of this book trying to figure out if I actually liked anyone. However, I did end up attached to everyone. Especially Blake. I do wish there had been more of their life together but it was good enough. I'm just going to say that this was not an easy read. I was conflicted through to the end.

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Sep 02, 2012 Darci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, bffs-into-lovers, fucked-up-issues, lgbt, modern-contemporary, oh-the-angst

Not sure what to rate this one. Sometimes I loved it because it's so full of angst and misery, and other times I had no clue what the hell was going on and felt like I was reading the second book in a series without the first. The MC's head is not a pleasant place to be.

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May 17, 2013 jules0623 rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: addictions, asshat-friends-or-relatives, bdsm-elements, blurb-was-better-than-the-book, exes-that-are-not-awesome, friends-to-lovers, genre-aaaangst, genre-romance, not-enough-hell-no-in-the-world, relationship-m-m

There was not one character in this book that didn't annoy the fuck out of me.

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May 20, 2013 Brandy Hamric marked it as to-read

May 11, 2013 Al rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: s-m, favorites

May 07, 2013 Ashlee added it

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About Jaime Samms

With most of the hours in the day taken up by a part time job and the full time occupation of raising and schooling two kids, writing is somewhat of an indulgence, but it's the indulgences that keep us sane, right? When not otherwise occupied, like most writers, reading is my relaxation method of choice, and you can find my reviews at Kuriousity.com and Dark Diva Reviews to let you know what I lik...more

More about Jaime Samms...

Books by Jaime Samms

Fix This, Sir (Tales from Rainbow Alley, #3)

Finders, Keepers (Tales from Rainbow Alley, #2)

Hotwired Heart (Tales from Rainbow Alley, #1)

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