Wish List

by K.A. Mitchell

Blindfolds. Handcuffs. Submission.There's so much Jonah Kendrick hasn't tried, and so much he wants to explore. But just before Christmas he finds a ring box in his boyfriend's desk. Jonah panics. He loves Evan and their sex is hot, but how can Jonah be ready for forever, when there are so many items on his Naughty Bucket List? Desires that might drive Evan away.Evan's noticed Jonah has been distant. His usually talkative and cheerful boyfriend is preoccupied. The seemingly straitlaced Evan stumbles across Jonah's wish list of sexual kinks, and Evan realizes he may not have to hide his true nature from Jonah after all. The Dom in him wants to see Jonah on his knees, begging, submitting, but Evan isn't sure Jonah's ready to accept what being Evan's sub would mean.The two lovers must figure out how to share their hidden desires with each other before their secrets permanently damage their love.26,000 words

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Christmas, Novella

79 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 3, 2012

About the author

K.A. Mitchell discovered the magic of writing at an early age when she learned that a carefully crayoned note of apology sent to the kitchen in a toy truck would earn her a reprieve from banishment to her room. Her career as a spin-control artist was cut short when her family moved to a two-story house, and her trucks would not roll safely down the stairs. Around the same time, she decided that Chip and Ken made a much cuter couple than Ken and Barbie and was perplexed when invitations to play Barbie dropped off. She never stopped making stuff up, though, and was surprised to find out that people would pay her to do it. Although the men in her stories usually carry more emotional baggage than even LAX can lose in a year, she guarantees they always find their sexy way to a happy ending.

http://www.facebook.com/authorkamitchell

Reviews

[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 4 out of 5]

-This was part of the Red Hot Holiday anthology-


I really enjoyed this short story

The story

Jonah finds wedding rings in his boyfriend's desk and panics, thinking Evan will propose. He's not sure if he wants to make a permanant commitment, and there are so many things he hasn't tried yet, and doesn't know how to approach the subject with Evan.
Evan is worried about him, seeing him distancing himself more and more, and doesn't know the reason for it... Until he finds a list...
Jonah made a list of all the stuff he'd like to try in bed, to be more precise, BDSM stuff
And so Evan starts to be more dominating, and Jonah tries to work up ways to tell him what he wants :D

It was a nice idea, although some parts were a bit far-fetched, but OK, this is a short story so I didn't expect anything mindblowing anyway :D Loved the parts with Evan's family, and the ending was pretty nice too :)

The characters

I liked both of them, Evan slightly more because he was more sure of his feelings when it came to Jonah. I could tell they loved each other and it was sweet, but sometimes Jonah got on my nerves because of the wedding freakout, but oh well, he got over it and that's the point, right :D
The sex was hot and yummy I have to say, not extreme in the least just a touch of bondage and dominance :)


All in all, a very enjoyable holiday smexy read



*ARC courtesy of Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[~ Becs ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonah and Evan have been together for a number of years and, when Jonah is rummaging through Evan’s desk to find some sellotape, he finds two tacky wedding rings. Paranoid that Evan is about to propose over New Years Jonah goes into a panic about what he hasn't managed to experience sexually before he settles down – namely bit of kink He makes a bucket list which Evan accidentally finds. As they spend Christmas with Evan’s family, Evan attempts to coax Jonah to talk to him without giving away that he has found the list. Evan has experience in BDSM that he’s never told Jonah about.

This was quite an angsty little read – this is a couple quite clearly perfect for one another but they’re not talking to each other and there was a lot of silent sighing and there was a real risk that one of them was going to do something stupid and jeopardise everything that they had. I was really scared that Jonah was going to totally blow it (pun absolutely intended).

I have to confess that I found it hard to believe that a couple can be as sexual as Jonah and Evan and yet neither one of them had spotted the dom or sub in the other, especially Jonah as an experienced dom. He really should have been able to spot the signs, for sure. Quite frankly, this is a couple that need to be a lot more honest with each other. Aside from that, this is a sexy little novella with some light D/s.

3 sexy seasonal stars

[SheReadsALot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another author then I'm developing a serious case of the 'likes' for, K.A. Mitchell. Her characters are multifaceted, flawed and most importantly realistic. Evan and Jonah make a great couple (they have some issues with communication but Evan works it out, most deliciously ;P)

Loved them as a couple.

Loved the couple events they performed in the bedroom...especially that last one!!



Got me excited!

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book. I like Evan, I didn't like Jonah and I didn't see the chemistry between the characters. The lack of communication felt forced in the story. I didn't buy their Dom and Sub relationship and the fact that seemed to have solved their problems.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, not a good Mitchell.

The characters were detached and the entire story had an almost clinical feel to it. Both characters were likable but unfortunately the lack of communication seemed unnatural and forced. As far as the BDSM aspects go, I believed Jonah's desire to delve into the lifestyle, but Evan came off as robotic and unfeeling. I didn't feel much of a connection between them. The BDSM was mild and the sex was written good but the relationship and the characters were not developed enough.

[Susan65 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appear to me in the minority, but I really liked this story. Being inside Jonah’s head and seeing his inner struggle for what he wants and needs just spoke to me. I can relate to his not knowing. Not knowing if he was ready to settle for one person for life, not knowing if he was willing to give up certain aspects of his “fantasy” world, not knowing if Evan would understand his kinks and his desire to try new things. Evan could have made things a little easier on Jonah, in my opinion. He was five years older and had a past history that he never told Jonah about, so I understand Jonah’s reluctance to “rock the boat”.

In the end, Jonah didn’t act on any of his “fantasies” and realized that Evan was the only man for him. His note to Evan was perfect. This won’t be for everyone , but I enjoyed it.

[Vero · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hot little christmas romance novel. I liked that the MCs were in a relationship and this novella showed some development in their relationship. They have been together for two years and are considerably happy when the story starts. Wenn Jonah thinks that he is going to get a proposal, he starts thinking about what he might miss (sexually) if he committs fully. Not the most romantic first thought when confronted with rings, but very human. Jonah wants some BDSM in his life and luckily his guy is up for this, too. So, triggered by the rings, they start having a new flavour in their relationship.
Nice read, although it didn't really blow me away.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me on this one. To me, this was a story about realizing what you want or need in your relationship and knowing how and then being able to actually ask your partner for it. There was a major communication breakdown going on here which could have solved a lot. I enjoyed Jonah questioning himself and being unsure of what he wanted, even though he could have gone about things a little differently. Same goes for Evan. I love how it ended with Evan's birthday gift for Jonah in NY, watching the ball drop while doing other things.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a truly hot short story about Jonah who wants to try the BDSM lifestyle but is too scared to tell his boyfriend Evan and Evan who used to be an active Dom but never told Jonah. Evan finds a list Jonah made about it and the story goes from there. Lots of good smexing in this one all wrapped up with a nice love story. Yum!

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*fans self*

*fans self again*

Man, that was hottt. Lots of smexin' and a super cute couple. There was a plot, too! And even though that plot pretty much revolved around the Big Misunderstanding, I enjoyed this book a lot. BDSM-lite, so don't be afraid to check this one out if you're curious. Christmas in March, whee!

[DayDreamer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Maybe.

It was hot, can't say it wasn't, but the kinky stuff was not enough.

Also talking. How hard can it be?

So. Good, but not life-changing. I'm not sorry I read it. Yet I don't crave more, I don't feel like going back to it.

[Dabney · Rating 4 out of 5]

this review was originally published at DearAuthor.com

This is a sweet story about a couple who find they are even better suited than they thought. Jonah and Evan have been together for two years and have a strong relationship. Then, one day, as he’s packing their stuff for a visit to Evan’s family for Christmas, Jonah finds a set of wedding bands in Evan’s desk. Jonah’s seriously thrown. Jonah loves Evan but he’s not sure he’s ready to settle down. For starters, there’s so much he hasn’t tried he’ll never get a chance to if he’s married.

It wasn’t only all the hot guys he’d be giving up. It was all the things he’d never get to do or try. How was he supposed to know he didn’t like the whole whips and chains scene? He liked it enough in porn. Always meant to try it out, but somehow, like going down to New York for New Year’s Eve, something had always gotten in the way. Mostly his own inability to figure out what the fuck it was he wanted before the train left the station.

Maybe if he wrote it all down, he could make a better decision. Evan was always telling Jonah making to-do lists would keep him organized, but a Things I’ll Never Get To Do If I Marry Evan list probably wasn’t what Evan had in mind.

So Jonah writes a list which Evan later finds. And now Evan is thrown because it’s clear from the list Jonah’s interested in exploring the darker side of sex and that’s a place Evan knows well. Evan’s a Dom but he walked away from that role several years and has never shared that side of himself with Jonah. When he reads Jonah’s list, he’s beyond turned-on.

Three-some. Moresome. W/E?
Leather
Cuffs
Tied up
Blindfold
Anonymous
Paddle Flogger?

Heat flashed under Evan’s skin, tingling, prickling, then pooling in his balls as his dick went from hard to impossible to manage. He kicked the door shut and unzipped his jeans, leaning back as he fought for control, picturing vulnerable skin stretched on a cross. His to mark, to take, to own. Before he could touch it, his cock jerked, precome pearling at the tip. He’d thought he had that part of him locked down, put away. Safe from ever hitting that line again where he wasn’t sure he was playing by the rules and not by his emotions.

I really enjoyed their story. Evan realizes if he wants to keep Jonah–and be true to himself–he’s going to have to ease Jonah into a different kind of sexual relationship than the lusty but mainstream one they currently share. He does so carefully and very very sexily. The love scenes between the two are scorching and work beautifully to show the subtle ways their relationship changes. Jonah and Evan are appealing characters and the chemistry and connection between the two is sweet, funny, and hot.

Wish List is a delightful novella. It’s well written, full of great scenes–I loved their visit to a leather/sex shop in the Village; the sense of place is strong and spot on–, and has a fabulous finale. The only part I found weak was Jonah’s exploration of a BDSM internet/chat site; that story line feels forced and unnecessary. That’s a small quibble, however. Overall, I give Wish List a B.

[Urbanista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. My intro to K.A. Mitchell, and a vast improvement over most of the D/s stuff I've had the misfortune to read. I was going to give up on it, because I kept choosing really awful stuff with the world's worst dialog.

"Yes, sir," over and over with no internal dialog to enliven or explain it! Gah! This is much better written, with some silly but palatable plot twists and misunderstandings. I especially appreciated how uncertain the novice sub, Jonah, was in this story. I could see how he worked our his kinkiness in his own mind, making mistakes along the way. Evan, the Dom tended towards the assured and powerful Dom stereotype, but fortunately, he had his insecurities, too.

Loved the "ball drop" Times Square scene. Hated that it was so short. I know not to read shorts (too short)! It's worse when you want them to be longer cause you kinda liked them. Sometimes a three star short has the potential to be a four or five star novel!

Too short to be really satisfying, then, but that's the nature of the (short) beast.

[willaful · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, believable look at a couple having a hard time expressing their desires to each other. Jonah and Evan have been together for two years when Jonah discovers a set of hidden wedding rings. The thought of being tied to vanilla sex with one person for the rest of his life sends him into a panic about all the things he's been curious about and never tried, particularly being submissive. But it turns out there's something Evan hasn't been telling him as well.

Confusion, doubt, mixed messages -- all things we don't see much in romance in regards to sex, and all very realistic. Jonah even flirts with cheating but doesn't go through with it. This isn't really a Christmas story, but New Years Eve, with its symbolism of new beginnings, is important. The story felt a little scattered to me at times, perhaps reflecting the confusion felt by the characters, but ended on a very positive note as Evan and Jonah discover they can both get their needs met. Jonah's introduction to BDSM felt very loving and real.

(reviewed from e-arc provided by netGalley)

[Christi Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review:
Rating: B
I liked Jonah and Evan a lot. I liked them as characters and overall, I liked them as a couple. What I didn't get about the story was the shock over a possible marriage proposal after two years together, 14 months of that living together. To me, that seems like a pretty committed relationship, so I had a hard time following Jonah's panic. I think the story would have worked for me better if they had only been together for six months or maybe just a tiny bit longer. Then I could have understood Jonah's panic and Evan's ability to hide his true self for so long.

But with that detail aside, this story overall worked for me. I enjoyed the characters, although they need to seriously work on their communication skills between the two of them....both of them are hiding desires which could make things really amazing for both of them in the bedroom. I really loved the way the story ended on New Year's Eve in NYC..so perfect...and REALLY sexy!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Anke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I really liked it. Although somewhere in the middle it was as if I read fragments and not a progressing story and I really couldn't follow Jonah's thinking regarding the M2M related stuff, at some point the story was pulled back together and I really liked their coming to grips with both their inner wishes:)

[Josephine Myles]

I can see that other readers have had major problems with this story, but I'd urge people not to be put off. To me, Jonah's wibbles about their relationship and commitment were perfectly believable and fit with his character. The sex is hot and the dialogue snappy, lifting it a cut above much m/m BDSM out there.

[Nico Jaye]

Smexy boys are smexy. Rowr.

[Teri]

I have enjoyed other novels by this author but we’re gonna go head an pretend this never happened

[☾⋆⁺ Nurse After Dark · Rating 4 out of 5]

"So, did you get everything you wanted this year?" Evan tucked his chin onto Jonah's shoulder.
"I got a lot more. In fact, if you see Santa, you can tell him to cross me off for next year. I won't be making any new lists."

I enjoyed the realness between the two MC's. Their poor communicating and seemingly stagnant feeling relationship felt really true to real life, which made the eventual "fix" all the sweeter - or spicier? I could have done without the dating app arc, mostly because it toed the cheating line a little too closely for my liking by the end there. But after the fallout of that, the creative use of the countdown to new years eve more than made up for it! ;)

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn good, especially once Evan made Jonah talk to him. Took a while to get there, but some fantastic heat once they did!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonah and Evan have been together for two years and have a pretty good relationship but when Jonah accidentally stumbles across a pair of wedding rings in Evan's desk he panics. He loves Evan but the thought of getting married just makes him think of all the things that he'll never get to try if they tie the knot. Jonah creates a wish list containing all of his darkest desires but worries that Evan wouldn't be interested in helping him fulfil them. Evan has noticed how distant Jonah has become but has no idea what is worrying him, until he stumbles across the wish list that is. Evan couldn't be more surprised that Jonah has secret dreams of submitting to anther man, he has been hiding his own dominant side for years but it looks like they may both be able to live out their wildest fantasies together - if only they can find a way to share their secret wishes.

I'm still fairly new to M/M romance but it's a genre that I'm really enjoying so I was looking forward to reading Wish List. I liked both Jonah and Evan but I think my main problem was that I struggled to believe that they'd been together for so long and yet didn't really know each other that well. I find it hard to believe that someone who is an experienced Dom has been able to be in a relationship for 2 years without letting his dominant tendencies show through in the bedroom - surely his natural behaviour would have come out at some point? I also felt it was odd that Jonah got in such a panic at the idea of Evan proposing when they seemed to have a pretty strong relationship and had been living together for over a year. I found myself getting very frustrated that they wouldn't talk to each other, Evan at least tried to communicate but Jonah seemed more interested in potentially hooking up with a stranger than talking to the man he was supposed to be in love with. The sex scenes between them were undoubtedly hot though and I loved the way Evan introduced Jonah to BDSM - the New Years Eve scene in Times Square was very sexy. I did feel that they made a cute couple I just think it would have felt more realistic if they'd known each other for a shorter period of time or perhaps I just needed a longer story to help make things feel more plausible. Either way I did enjoy K.A. Mitchell's writing style and would definitely like to read a full length novel by her in the future.

[Tiya Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's a very weak 3 stars, mind.

When it comes to K.A. Mitchell books, I always have a checklist. Nine times out of ten, her stories always have these four constants: an asshole MC, angst like only her and Amy Lane can dish out, sex scenes high in quality and quantity, and a pretty satisfying HEA where the asshole grovels and proves he's worth the fucking angst.

Well, the first three were a go. Jonah with his overreaction and dishonesty and general douchebaggery covered the first on the checklist. Evan's understandable doubts and internal freak-outs angsted up the place and no amount of misunderstanding can stop these two from fucking on any surface available. So that's three covered. As for the fourth, well, let's just say that I put up with the angst and the assholes in Mitchell books because, at the end, I feel like they've redeemed themselves and finally deserve their HEA.

Jonah deserves shit.

He should have spent New Year's alone trying to get in touch with Evan while Evan was out falling in love with a guy who doesn't plan on cheating as soon as he thinks his boyfriend plans on marrying him,not getting his ass plowed against a hotel window while the ball dropped at Times Square.

Dick.

And this was supposed to be a Christmas story, by the way. Ho fucking ho.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a male on male holiday erotica. Jonah and Evan are pretty different or so each one thinks. Jonah gets scared when he thinks a set of wedding rings he finds are for him and Evan. That gets him thinking about what he might be missing out on if he and Evan decide to stay together forever. He makes a wish list of sorts about sexual things he might want to try. Evan mistakenly finds it and decides to try at making some of them come through. When Jonah doesn't know is that Evan can easily fulfill that wish list. Evan was a Dom previously but he buried that part of himself away. Now it looks likes he might not have to. I enjoyed this one but sometimes i wanted to yell at Jonah and say duh? Can't you see what Evan is trying to show you? lol

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the writing style, I found the bdsm elements didn't work. It felt forced, too technical and lacking feeling. The authors used spanking before, in Collision Course, to great effect and it worked so well within the dynamic of the relationship. This book however failed on that account. Not my favourite from this author.

[Cindi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read as part of the Red Hot Holiday anthology.

Review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews:
http://bookreviewsandtherapy.blogspot...

[Vanessa North · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love KA Mitchell's voice and writing so much. This was a pretty solid story that I enjoyed quite a bit. I didn't love it *as much* as some of her other stories, but c'mon, KA Mitchell, you know it's gonna be pretty good. :)

[Enny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole book was based on the "We're guys, we don't talk about stuff." trope.

[Moonlite_Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like. Jonah was fckin dumb. He didn't deserve Evan.

[Ery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmmm... Holidays and BDSM? What more could you ask for?
Very enjoyable - recommended!