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Relearning the Ropes
Marcus will have to set aside his old theories about BDSM and relearn the ropes to be the Dom Charlie needs.
When his good friend Julius dies unexpectedly, Marcus finds himself saddled with a new submissive–Charlie. But Charlie comes with a history, and more pain and need than Marcus has ever encountered. Marcus knows he loves Charlie, and Charlie loves him, but Marcus must set aside his old theories about BDSM and relearn the ropes if he wants to be the Dom—and the lover—they both need.
When his good friend Julius dies unexpectedly, Marcus finds himself saddled with a new submissive–Charlie. But Charlie comes with a history, and more pain and need than Marcus has ever encountered. Marcus knows he loves Charlie, and Charlie loves him, but Marcus must set aside his old theories about BDSM and relearn the ropes if he wants to be the Dom—and the lover—they both need.
28 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
About the author
D.C. Juris
62 books55 followersAn out and proud bisexual transgender man, DC Juris moved to New York State in 2001 for a real-life romance. By day he is a mild-mannered office manager, by night a passionate writer of all types of romance. He lives in Upstate New York with his husband, two dogs, four cats, and a menagerie of Halloween props just creepy enough to keep people guessing about his sanity. Which is just the way he likes it. Still hopelessly single when it comes to the woman in his life, DC will gladly entertain offers, or applications for the position.
When he's not writing down what his characters tell him, DC can be found surfing the internet for random research (DC would like to remind everyone that porn *is* research for him!), killing things on his Xbox, reading, or taking pictures of the world around him.
When he's not writing down what his characters tell him, DC can be found surfing the internet for random research (DC would like to remind everyone that porn *is* research for him!), killing things on his Xbox, reading, or taking pictures of the world around him.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 26, 2019
For such a relatively short story, this one carries quite a punch. It may be set in a BDSM context, and submission, even bondage, definitely play a role, but I did not feel that was the primary focus of the story. It was more like a starting point, or a common frame of reference, for the two main characters to begin working their way toward a relationship. It was quite interesting to follow Marcus’s reasoning in how the Dom tried to figure out how to make Charlie happy. For that is his primary goal, and he is ready to do things very differently from how he has done them so far.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
July 2, 2019
3.5 *
November 8, 2011
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
With lovely wording and genuine feeling, D.C. Juris has a tendency of putting real characters into his stories, who are often faced with very difficult situations. Keeping the same level of ‘real life' immersed into all the pages is not always easy and an author who still does it should be on your reading list.
That said, RELEARNING THE ROPES is another short one from this author, where two men fight to find balance between them and actually make love be enough. Or at least that's how I saw it. It revolves around BDSM, with Charlie being the submissive whose dominant, Julius, had died. Julius left Charlie to Marcus, his friend, and the two men have to find a way to make things work.
When compared to the other books from the same author, this one didn't live up to my expectations. There were quite a few things that simply didn't work for me, even beside the facts that the story was too short.
Although this plot mold has already been used in a few books, somehow in this one it didn't have the desired punch. Julius just giving Charlie away, even with the reason for it being his death, bothered me. Charlie started as a commodity, which I could live with, but his growth into something more just wasn't strong enough to make a difference.
Then there was the whole BDSM thing. It rarely happens that I don't at least connect with one character in a book. It is the behavior, attitude or even actions that bring me to that level where I know who is what even without the characters constantly emphasizing their title. Other than one not really satisfying scene, I wouldn't even call this a BDSM story in anything other than the words coming out of characters' mouths stating their titles.
Another big no-no in this story is the way Julius became a bad guy after his death. Another plot tool a lot of authors use but one I just can't stomach. Julius was a friend and a Dom, who did his best and even in his worst, no one told him a thing. It wasn't handled nicely and it made me frown at the two main characters.
I was also confused in the sense of categorizing this book. I'm not sure if it fits in the contemporary setting or if it was written with some type of futuristic world in mind. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that it was Charlie's past which made the difference blurry in my mind, and I would have loved the story more if that part had been clarified.
Charlie and Marcus surprisingly talk a lot. They are trying to resolve months, even years of issues in one afternoon. Add to that the sub's reluctance and the Dom's indecision and you won't really get a productive conversation. Still, they made it work and came to the loving part which didn't make much sense for me, but you should be aware that this is a happy ending story and pretty sweet at times.
Even with all the issues, I don't think this is necessarily a bad book. It tells a tale about two men making the best out of what life gave them. They might not be perfect but they still move forward, and in the end that is the only thing any of us can do in our own lives.
With lovely wording and genuine feeling, D.C. Juris has a tendency of putting real characters into his stories, who are often faced with very difficult situations. Keeping the same level of ‘real life' immersed into all the pages is not always easy and an author who still does it should be on your reading list.
That said, RELEARNING THE ROPES is another short one from this author, where two men fight to find balance between them and actually make love be enough. Or at least that's how I saw it. It revolves around BDSM, with Charlie being the submissive whose dominant, Julius, had died. Julius left Charlie to Marcus, his friend, and the two men have to find a way to make things work.
When compared to the other books from the same author, this one didn't live up to my expectations. There were quite a few things that simply didn't work for me, even beside the facts that the story was too short.
Although this plot mold has already been used in a few books, somehow in this one it didn't have the desired punch. Julius just giving Charlie away, even with the reason for it being his death, bothered me. Charlie started as a commodity, which I could live with, but his growth into something more just wasn't strong enough to make a difference.
Then there was the whole BDSM thing. It rarely happens that I don't at least connect with one character in a book. It is the behavior, attitude or even actions that bring me to that level where I know who is what even without the characters constantly emphasizing their title. Other than one not really satisfying scene, I wouldn't even call this a BDSM story in anything other than the words coming out of characters' mouths stating their titles.
Another big no-no in this story is the way Julius became a bad guy after his death. Another plot tool a lot of authors use but one I just can't stomach. Julius was a friend and a Dom, who did his best and even in his worst, no one told him a thing. It wasn't handled nicely and it made me frown at the two main characters.
I was also confused in the sense of categorizing this book. I'm not sure if it fits in the contemporary setting or if it was written with some type of futuristic world in mind. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that it was Charlie's past which made the difference blurry in my mind, and I would have loved the story more if that part had been clarified.
Charlie and Marcus surprisingly talk a lot. They are trying to resolve months, even years of issues in one afternoon. Add to that the sub's reluctance and the Dom's indecision and you won't really get a productive conversation. Still, they made it work and came to the loving part which didn't make much sense for me, but you should be aware that this is a happy ending story and pretty sweet at times.
Even with all the issues, I don't think this is necessarily a bad book. It tells a tale about two men making the best out of what life gave them. They might not be perfect but they still move forward, and in the end that is the only thing any of us can do in our own lives.
January 1, 2012
Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
OH! It's so good!
I've mentioned a time or two before that I love the work of DC Juris. I do. As soon as I see a new title, I have to have it. This book was no exception and man was it a HOT read. As always, the writing flowed well. There are twists and turns that made me need to know what would happen next. I laughed, cried and had my share of the happy shivers. There are damaged characters, lots of sweaty sex, and characters I won't soon forget.
I do have to say that this book should come with a warning: will cause palpitations. But there's some play in this book that will certainly be hard for some readers to take. Pain play isn't really my cup of tea. I go down with a paper cut, but the play definitely works for these characters. Plus, once I really got to know the characters, I could understand more. So while the play might not be for the faint of heart, it works well in the story.
Charlie is a damaged man. The things he's been through, well, many readers won't be able to relate to, but we can understand his motivations. He's still got a sweet streak and when he's given the chance to just be himself, he really blossoms. Then there's Marcus. I loved that he's not a regular Dom, per se. I've read a lot of BDSM books where the Dom inflicts punishment for what rarely seems like the well being of the sub, but more for the thrill of the act. Marcus isn't like that. He cares about Charlie, even when he's not sure what the exact emotion is. It's a great and absolutely hot read.
Take the journey and read Relearning the Ropes. You'll be glad you did. I am.
OH! It's so good!
I've mentioned a time or two before that I love the work of DC Juris. I do. As soon as I see a new title, I have to have it. This book was no exception and man was it a HOT read. As always, the writing flowed well. There are twists and turns that made me need to know what would happen next. I laughed, cried and had my share of the happy shivers. There are damaged characters, lots of sweaty sex, and characters I won't soon forget.
I do have to say that this book should come with a warning: will cause palpitations. But there's some play in this book that will certainly be hard for some readers to take. Pain play isn't really my cup of tea. I go down with a paper cut, but the play definitely works for these characters. Plus, once I really got to know the characters, I could understand more. So while the play might not be for the faint of heart, it works well in the story.
Charlie is a damaged man. The things he's been through, well, many readers won't be able to relate to, but we can understand his motivations. He's still got a sweet streak and when he's given the chance to just be himself, he really blossoms. Then there's Marcus. I loved that he's not a regular Dom, per se. I've read a lot of BDSM books where the Dom inflicts punishment for what rarely seems like the well being of the sub, but more for the thrill of the act. Marcus isn't like that. He cares about Charlie, even when he's not sure what the exact emotion is. It's a great and absolutely hot read.
Take the journey and read Relearning the Ropes. You'll be glad you did. I am.
August 9, 2012
Relearning the Ropes by DC Juris...
The untimely passing of one man has set the stage for two people, who are in completely different mind frames, to come together.
Marcus, a Dom, has been asked to take over the care of his dear friend Julius' sub, Charlie. Marcus knows Charlie and his past, and worries about his frame of mind now that Julius is gone.
Charlie, is a unique sub in the aspect that he has lived a life of abuse and inner loneliness. Once he is rescued by Julius, things start to turn around for him. That is, until Julius' untimely passing.
The story revolves around these two men who long for completeness, yet really don't see that it's staring right at them. This book is a great read. The characters are well defined and you really get some good insight as to what's going on in the main characters heads.
I found Marcus' inner thoughts well displayed. You really got a detailed sense of where he is in his life and how he views things. Never wanting the defined roles that he now has, Marcus appears willing to adapt to what Charlie needs in order to care for him.
Charlie, the ever please submissive, is just lovely in that he genuinely just wants to find his place in the world, but is still uncertain where that is. He has several issues that are mentioned in the story and you get too see how they affect him. But you also get to see his tremendous heart as well and that is a beautiful thing.
You can't help but feel for both these characters and want to see them happy, with each other.
Although its a short story (my ONLY issue with it), I thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.
The untimely passing of one man has set the stage for two people, who are in completely different mind frames, to come together.
Marcus, a Dom, has been asked to take over the care of his dear friend Julius' sub, Charlie. Marcus knows Charlie and his past, and worries about his frame of mind now that Julius is gone.
Charlie, is a unique sub in the aspect that he has lived a life of abuse and inner loneliness. Once he is rescued by Julius, things start to turn around for him. That is, until Julius' untimely passing.
The story revolves around these two men who long for completeness, yet really don't see that it's staring right at them. This book is a great read. The characters are well defined and you really get some good insight as to what's going on in the main characters heads.
I found Marcus' inner thoughts well displayed. You really got a detailed sense of where he is in his life and how he views things. Never wanting the defined roles that he now has, Marcus appears willing to adapt to what Charlie needs in order to care for him.
Charlie, the ever please submissive, is just lovely in that he genuinely just wants to find his place in the world, but is still uncertain where that is. He has several issues that are mentioned in the story and you get too see how they affect him. But you also get to see his tremendous heart as well and that is a beautiful thing.
You can't help but feel for both these characters and want to see them happy, with each other.
Although its a short story (my ONLY issue with it), I thoroughly enjoyed this read and highly recommend it.
August 7, 2012
Relearning the Ropes is a story of healing, of hope and of love finally acknowledged.
Charlie is a broken man who requires a deft hand--a man--a Dom who can not only take him to the place where he can release his inner demons but a partner who can navigate the emotional minefield that is Charlie's heart. A former abused sex slave, Charlie has baggage--lots. Add to that the fact that his dom, who was a best friend to his new dom Marcus, has recently died and you have one hurting individual.
Marcus has kept himself firmly in check, desiring--loving Charlie for quite some time but hesitant to take him from his best friend who purchased Charlie from the sex ring, freeing him from a life of abuse and torture.
This sweet little sip of a story finds these two men on the cusp of a change in their relationships that threatens to either destroy them or redeem them. Happily DC Juris opts for the latter. In such a short story we learn more about what makes these two men tic than I thought possible. DC Juris is a masterful storyteller, who gives us richly detailed characters that draw us in and force us to fall in love with them at first sight.
I sincerely hope that one day she revisits this pair and gives them their own full length story--they are, simply put, lovely!
Charlie is a broken man who requires a deft hand--a man--a Dom who can not only take him to the place where he can release his inner demons but a partner who can navigate the emotional minefield that is Charlie's heart. A former abused sex slave, Charlie has baggage--lots. Add to that the fact that his dom, who was a best friend to his new dom Marcus, has recently died and you have one hurting individual.
Marcus has kept himself firmly in check, desiring--loving Charlie for quite some time but hesitant to take him from his best friend who purchased Charlie from the sex ring, freeing him from a life of abuse and torture.
This sweet little sip of a story finds these two men on the cusp of a change in their relationships that threatens to either destroy them or redeem them. Happily DC Juris opts for the latter. In such a short story we learn more about what makes these two men tic than I thought possible. DC Juris is a masterful storyteller, who gives us richly detailed characters that draw us in and force us to fall in love with them at first sight.
I sincerely hope that one day she revisits this pair and gives them their own full length story--they are, simply put, lovely!
August 12, 2016
It was written well, but I just felt there was this huge tragedy behind the character of Charlie, and this prevented me from loving the story as much as I wanted to. Also, I was confused because . There was a lot in there for a very short story. I wasn't sure what the point of the party was, as the story didn't explore any of the issues raised, like Charlie's ambitions, his inappropriately submissive behaviour at work, how his co-workers treat him, etc.
Overall feeling on finishing this story = very sad :-(
Overall feeling on finishing this story = very sad :-(
September 9, 2011
Marcus is a Dom, who has no interest in a live in, full time sub. This becomes an issue when his good friend Julius dies, leaving Marcus the care of Charlie. Charlie has had a horrific past, having been a sex slave since the age of 15, and having led a life a abuse until Julius (aided by a large loan from Marcus) buys him. Charlie was with Julius for two years and during the time Marcus has fallen in love with the very submissive, very pain seeking Charlie. It is up to his new Dom to find the balance that will work for them.
October 11, 2011
This is a lovely short story about an abused sub and his new Dom after the death of his previous Dom.
Charlie has been greatly damaged after having been sold to a sex slave ring at age 15. He was repeatedly abused until he belonged to Julius. When Julius dies in an accident, his friend Marcus is left with Charlie. Even though he never wanted a live-in sub, Marcus does love Charlie and because of that love, he is determined to make the situation work.
Enjoyable quick read.
Charlie has been greatly damaged after having been sold to a sex slave ring at age 15. He was repeatedly abused until he belonged to Julius. When Julius dies in an accident, his friend Marcus is left with Charlie. Even though he never wanted a live-in sub, Marcus does love Charlie and because of that love, he is determined to make the situation work.
Enjoyable quick read.
April 9, 2013
After reading
D.C. Juris became an automatic buy for m-m romance. While this story is an lighter, easier and quicker read than Betrayed, I enjoyed the interaction between Marcus and Charlie. This is a story about two lovers discovering how to be with each other. It is more a romantic read than an erotic one. And sometimes, that's all you need. :)
D.C. Juris became an automatic buy for m-m romance. While this story is an lighter, easier and quicker read than Betrayed, I enjoyed the interaction between Marcus and Charlie. This is a story about two lovers discovering how to be with each other. It is more a romantic read than an erotic one. And sometimes, that's all you need. :)
January 26, 2012
Good short kinky m/m romance about a dom who inherits a fulltime sub when his friend dies and finds he has to reevaluate how he deals with the young man. This really needed to be longer for the amount of potential story!
November 14, 2011
Если бы взять этот рассказ, да превратить его в нормальную книгу, то пара звездочек ему бы прибавилась. А так какое-то недоразумение, с потенциалом, но не более того.
June 9, 2012
Love Charlie and am so glad he's with someone-finally-who will take care of him and love him the way he needs to be.
January 7, 2017
Short but nice, recommended for BDSM fans who like emotion with their kink.
July 14, 2016
While I liked this story, I felt like it would have been better if it were longer as there are a few loose ends.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews