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Yogi and the Bear
If the fall is inevitable, might as well enjoy the tumble.
Months after a scaffolding accident leaves him in chronic agony, construction worker Ryan Powell has exhausted all that Western medicine has to offer. He’s willing to try anything, even yoga, to get some relief.
He expected to feel out of place at the New Age Center, but he never expected a power-outage bathroom encounter to magically erase his pain. When he discovers the man with the magic hands is his drop-dead-sexy yoga teacher, Ryan decides that there might just be something to this metaphysical thing, after all.
Yogi Niklas Baumgartner has found it remarkably easy to keep his shiny vow of chastity untarnished—until now. Still, a bathroom hand job doesn’t really count as sex, right? But his footing on the no-nooky wagon slips when he realizes the big, blond bear at the back of the class is his man in the dark.
Their unlikely attraction brings out sides of themselves they never knew lurked beneath the surface, sides it takes courage to accept. But when trust is broken, repairing the damage might just tear them apart.
Warning: Contains a gentle giant, a dominant orgo-bunny, a pair of weighty manacles, too many movie references, accidental porn, overcoming stereotypes, and deliciously kinky sex.
Months after a scaffolding accident leaves him in chronic agony, construction worker Ryan Powell has exhausted all that Western medicine has to offer. He’s willing to try anything, even yoga, to get some relief.
He expected to feel out of place at the New Age Center, but he never expected a power-outage bathroom encounter to magically erase his pain. When he discovers the man with the magic hands is his drop-dead-sexy yoga teacher, Ryan decides that there might just be something to this metaphysical thing, after all.
Yogi Niklas Baumgartner has found it remarkably easy to keep his shiny vow of chastity untarnished—until now. Still, a bathroom hand job doesn’t really count as sex, right? But his footing on the no-nooky wagon slips when he realizes the big, blond bear at the back of the class is his man in the dark.
Their unlikely attraction brings out sides of themselves they never knew lurked beneath the surface, sides it takes courage to accept. But when trust is broken, repairing the damage might just tear them apart.
Warning: Contains a gentle giant, a dominant orgo-bunny, a pair of weighty manacles, too many movie references, accidental porn, overcoming stereotypes, and deliciously kinky sex.
308 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2015
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November 11, 2015
Posted at Outlaw Reviews
This story was a disappointment. If I didn’t have to write this review, I would have set the book aside early on with no regrets. The writing is clear and free of errors, but I would have preferred it to be more evocative. The characters and situations, when they were not confusing me with their inconsistencies, failed to hold my interest much of the time.
While I liked Ryan, the hunky construction worker looking for relief from a work-related back injury, I failed to understand why he was so attracted to Nik, his yoga instructor. In spite of his painful injury and unsupportive parents, Ryan is relatively happy and quite stable. He has a close relationship with his sister, Rachael, and loves his job. While Nik is knowledgeable about yoga and gives Ryan fantastic massages, he is nervous, fearful, and unpredictable. It is evident early on in the story that Nik is a deeply troubled man with trust issues. Like Ryan, he doesn’t have an ideal family situation and lives with roommates who are abusive. He is sexually inexperienced, while Ryan has had casual relationships.
I would have liked to see gradual growth in their relationship, emotionally and sexually. Instead we are subject to a nonsensical side plot about Ryan’s sister wanting to give away her baby which was too much of a distraction and totally irrelevant to the story. Though I enjoyed Nik’s and Ryan’s slow sexual exploration, I found the BDSM scenes awkward and out of character, especially for Nik. And what was up with this Nik/Julian thing? Did he have dissociative identity disorder, or was this just his Dom persona? In either case, it was disturbing, and there was no good explanation for Nik’s total change of behavior and unexpected sexual prowess. He should have found a different therapist. I’m still not convinced Nik is mentally healthy.
There are good stories that explore BDSM and deal with emotional and psychological trauma effectively. This is not one of them.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
This story was a disappointment. If I didn’t have to write this review, I would have set the book aside early on with no regrets. The writing is clear and free of errors, but I would have preferred it to be more evocative. The characters and situations, when they were not confusing me with their inconsistencies, failed to hold my interest much of the time.
While I liked Ryan, the hunky construction worker looking for relief from a work-related back injury, I failed to understand why he was so attracted to Nik, his yoga instructor. In spite of his painful injury and unsupportive parents, Ryan is relatively happy and quite stable. He has a close relationship with his sister, Rachael, and loves his job. While Nik is knowledgeable about yoga and gives Ryan fantastic massages, he is nervous, fearful, and unpredictable. It is evident early on in the story that Nik is a deeply troubled man with trust issues. Like Ryan, he doesn’t have an ideal family situation and lives with roommates who are abusive. He is sexually inexperienced, while Ryan has had casual relationships.
I would have liked to see gradual growth in their relationship, emotionally and sexually. Instead we are subject to a nonsensical side plot about Ryan’s sister wanting to give away her baby which was too much of a distraction and totally irrelevant to the story. Though I enjoyed Nik’s and Ryan’s slow sexual exploration, I found the BDSM scenes awkward and out of character, especially for Nik. And what was up with this Nik/Julian thing? Did he have dissociative identity disorder, or was this just his Dom persona? In either case, it was disturbing, and there was no good explanation for Nik’s total change of behavior and unexpected sexual prowess. He should have found a different therapist. I’m still not convinced Nik is mentally healthy.
There are good stories that explore BDSM and deal with emotional and psychological trauma effectively. This is not one of them.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
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May 1, 2015~~~DNF~~~
I requested this book from NetGalley in early February (thank you, Samhain!). I've tried to read it on four separate occasions in the past couple months. I've gotten as far as 30 percent and then skimmed/speed read through the remaining chapters, hoping it would catch my interest.
Alas, it never did, and I think it's time I say good-bye.
One of the MCs, Nik, seems to have a personality transplant at some point. There is a side story involving Ryan's sister that didn't feel relevant, and I LOATHED Ryan's bigoted religious parents.
I avoid religion in books, because it's shoved down my throat on a daily basis (I live in state that's essentially a theocracy).
The D/s play seemed off and awkward. There were some steamy scenes, but they fell flat for me, probably because I wasn't invested in the characters or the story.
The writing is fine, and the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS.
There are some positive reviews of this book out, so it very well might be just me.
I'm counting this as a DNF, so no rating.
Incidentally, this is only the second book out of more than 2,000 that I've added to my DNF shelf.
If you are not finishing half your books, it's probably best to start reading in another genre.
I requested this book from NetGalley in early February (thank you, Samhain!). I've tried to read it on four separate occasions in the past couple months. I've gotten as far as 30 percent and then skimmed/speed read through the remaining chapters, hoping it would catch my interest.
Alas, it never did, and I think it's time I say good-bye.
One of the MCs, Nik, seems to have a personality transplant at some point. There is a side story involving Ryan's sister that didn't feel relevant, and I LOATHED Ryan's bigoted religious parents.
I avoid religion in books, because it's shoved down my throat on a daily basis (I live in state that's essentially a theocracy).
The D/s play seemed off and awkward. There were some steamy scenes, but they fell flat for me, probably because I wasn't invested in the characters or the story.
The writing is fine, and the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS.
There are some positive reviews of this book out, so it very well might be just me.
I'm counting this as a DNF, so no rating.
Incidentally, this is only the second book out of more than 2,000 that I've added to my DNF shelf.
If you are not finishing half your books, it's probably best to start reading in another genre.
July 24, 2015
Ryan is a construction worker who is still having back pain months after a debilitating work-related accident. So, upon the advice of his doctor, he enrolls in a yoga class. Prior to his first session, he enjoys an anonymous hot and heavy bathroom encounter during a power outage, only to discover a short time later, that the encounter was, in fact, with the yoga teacher. Will the teacher, Nik, recognize Ryan as well? Of course!
I absolutely adored this book! The characters are so perfect for each other! And I especially love how the author goes against type: the big "bear" of a construction worker who loves to cook and prefers the submissive role in a relationship, and the smaller "orgo-bunny" yoga teacher, who takes on the dominant role. And though they come from different walks of life, they both have similar backgrounds: Ryan's family are all anti-gay bigots (except his youngest sister), and Nik's family are so awful that they - well, that's his story to tell!
While I'm still giggling at some of the hilarious banter and pop-culture references (mentions of three of my favorite comedies: Airplane, Amazon Women on the Moon and Kentucky Fried Movie!), the jokes don't disguise the underlying message of the story: that open, honest communication is a must in any relationship, and that once trust is broken, it isn't easily rebuilt.
Is this book a stand-alone? YES. It isn't part of a series. While Ronan and Noah from The Mormon and the Dom are mentioned by a mutual acquaintance, they are not present in the story. But, I still highly recommend reading Ronan and Noah's story, just because it's well worth reading, as are Nix's other books, The Cop and the Criminal & The Firefighter and the Pyro.
I absolutely adored this book! The characters are so perfect for each other! And I especially love how the author goes against type: the big "bear" of a construction worker who loves to cook and prefers the submissive role in a relationship, and the smaller "orgo-bunny" yoga teacher, who takes on the dominant role. And though they come from different walks of life, they both have similar backgrounds: Ryan's family are all anti-gay bigots (except his youngest sister), and Nik's family are so awful that they - well, that's his story to tell!
While I'm still giggling at some of the hilarious banter and pop-culture references (mentions of three of my favorite comedies: Airplane, Amazon Women on the Moon and Kentucky Fried Movie!), the jokes don't disguise the underlying message of the story: that open, honest communication is a must in any relationship, and that once trust is broken, it isn't easily rebuilt.
Is this book a stand-alone? YES. It isn't part of a series. While Ronan and Noah from The Mormon and the Dom are mentioned by a mutual acquaintance, they are not present in the story. But, I still highly recommend reading Ronan and Noah's story, just because it's well worth reading, as are Nix's other books, The Cop and the Criminal & The Firefighter and the Pyro.
April 14, 2015
Ryan is a burly construction worker out on workman's comp due to a job site injury to his back that has left him in chronic pain. He is recommended to a yoga class, and hits it off with the instructor, Nik. Well, he thinks he does--they have a blacked-out handie in the bathroom, and Ryan isn't sure it's Nik...until Nik gets close enough to Ryan to bring his delicious scent in. Ryan's amazed by how good he felt in class, and in Nik's arms, and he wants more.
Nik has had a traumatic life--familial abuse and living as a runaway for nearly a decade has taught him to be very wary. So much so, that Nik made a vow of celibacy, one that he ruined in the lavatory with a complete stranger. The more Nik comes to know Ryan, however, the more he sees the gentle side of the towering giant.
Together they explore a physical relationship, one that includes organic BDSM elements of Nik's design. Having had little control over his life, Nik craves power in the bed, and Ryan is down with it. Until Nik's Dom persona starts stretching his wings outside the bedroom. Jealousy and paranoia begin to creep in, and Ryan is put in a very real position of jeopardy.
I loved how this story was so fully developed. I could thoroughly grasp Ryan and Nik's characters. Ryan was plagued by bigoted Mormon parents who wished Ryan would catch "The AIDS" after he was repeatedly raped in prison. (This was their "wish"--Ryan was never in prison.) He forged a great relationship with his younger, also black sheep, sister, and his compassion absolutely rang off the page. I had a bit of trouble with Nik's backstory, only because it was so heinous as to seem far fetched. Still, I know there are some messed up families out there....
How Ryan and Nik resolved their problem was truly mature and wonderful. It puts so many of these BDSM novels into perspective, especially for novices, as Nik and Ryan were. I liked that they took baby steps, and followed expert guidance, never knowing if they could achieve the level of intimacy each craved, but trying faithfully to build a real and true relationship. There is a solid HEA here, as well as some delish sexytimes. Ryan was so tenderly rendered a character, so absolutely dec t a human being, I wanted him to be real. And Nik, he did the heavy lifting to make sense of his world and rebuild Ryan's trust. He knew Ryan was worth recreating his life for, and this not only helped them, it helped Nik be happier than possibly ever.
Definitely a good read. Probably 4.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nik has had a traumatic life--familial abuse and living as a runaway for nearly a decade has taught him to be very wary. So much so, that Nik made a vow of celibacy, one that he ruined in the lavatory with a complete stranger. The more Nik comes to know Ryan, however, the more he sees the gentle side of the towering giant.
Together they explore a physical relationship, one that includes organic BDSM elements of Nik's design. Having had little control over his life, Nik craves power in the bed, and Ryan is down with it. Until Nik's Dom persona starts stretching his wings outside the bedroom. Jealousy and paranoia begin to creep in, and Ryan is put in a very real position of jeopardy.
I loved how this story was so fully developed. I could thoroughly grasp Ryan and Nik's characters. Ryan was plagued by bigoted Mormon parents who wished Ryan would catch "The AIDS" after he was repeatedly raped in prison. (This was their "wish"--Ryan was never in prison.) He forged a great relationship with his younger, also black sheep, sister, and his compassion absolutely rang off the page. I had a bit of trouble with Nik's backstory, only because it was so heinous as to seem far fetched. Still, I know there are some messed up families out there....
How Ryan and Nik resolved their problem was truly mature and wonderful. It puts so many of these BDSM novels into perspective, especially for novices, as Nik and Ryan were. I liked that they took baby steps, and followed expert guidance, never knowing if they could achieve the level of intimacy each craved, but trying faithfully to build a real and true relationship. There is a solid HEA here, as well as some delish sexytimes. Ryan was so tenderly rendered a character, so absolutely dec t a human being, I wanted him to be real. And Nik, he did the heavy lifting to make sense of his world and rebuild Ryan's trust. He knew Ryan was worth recreating his life for, and this not only helped them, it helped Nik be happier than possibly ever.
Definitely a good read. Probably 4.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2015
Leigh's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
With a title like that, how could I NOT pick up this book? It was sweet, funny and honest, and a part of me wished Ryan wasn’t gay because I would scoop him up in a second!
What began as an encounter between two strangers in a men’s bathroom at a new age yoga center turned into a meeting between two people who really needed one another to discover the truth about themselves. Ryan (aka “the Bear”) is a burly construction worker who is willing to try anything to relieve the lingering pain from an accident. Even (gasp!) yoga. After an anonymous encounter before class, he is sure that his mystery man is the class instructor, Nik.
Nik is a truly interesting character. He is young, meek, reserved, hiding from a past that he believes is following him. But when he and Ryan stumble on to one another, Nik’s alter ego, Julian, is allowed to shine through. Dominant and confident, Julian is everything Nik isn’t, and through him, Nik is able to explore aspects of his life that he would never otherwise be comfortable experiencing. And Ryan is the perfect partner for him. Strong, protective, loyal and patient, Ryan is the calm that Nik needs to fully come into his own.
The dynamic between Ryan and Nik is unique. The smaller, seemingly meek man is the Dom while the burly construction worker is the submissive. Yet it seems to work. Throw in the fact that they are a gay couple living in the middle of a Mormon city and it only adds more interest to the mix.
While the story began as a lighter, more amusing tale, it did become more serious as the two men got to know one another. Working through troubles that could occur in any relationship, Ryan and Nik dealt with issues such as the loss of trust, jealousy and family issues. But the family that they built with each other was sweet and sexy and so loving, it is hard to do anything but adore this book.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
With a title like that, how could I NOT pick up this book? It was sweet, funny and honest, and a part of me wished Ryan wasn’t gay because I would scoop him up in a second!
What began as an encounter between two strangers in a men’s bathroom at a new age yoga center turned into a meeting between two people who really needed one another to discover the truth about themselves. Ryan (aka “the Bear”) is a burly construction worker who is willing to try anything to relieve the lingering pain from an accident. Even (gasp!) yoga. After an anonymous encounter before class, he is sure that his mystery man is the class instructor, Nik.
Nik is a truly interesting character. He is young, meek, reserved, hiding from a past that he believes is following him. But when he and Ryan stumble on to one another, Nik’s alter ego, Julian, is allowed to shine through. Dominant and confident, Julian is everything Nik isn’t, and through him, Nik is able to explore aspects of his life that he would never otherwise be comfortable experiencing. And Ryan is the perfect partner for him. Strong, protective, loyal and patient, Ryan is the calm that Nik needs to fully come into his own.
The dynamic between Ryan and Nik is unique. The smaller, seemingly meek man is the Dom while the burly construction worker is the submissive. Yet it seems to work. Throw in the fact that they are a gay couple living in the middle of a Mormon city and it only adds more interest to the mix.
While the story began as a lighter, more amusing tale, it did become more serious as the two men got to know one another. Working through troubles that could occur in any relationship, Ryan and Nik dealt with issues such as the loss of trust, jealousy and family issues. But the family that they built with each other was sweet and sexy and so loving, it is hard to do anything but adore this book.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
April 21, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Ooh, I really liked this one. I’ll say right now from a kink standpoint this story pushes all my buttons. I loved that big Ryan likes to be bound, and I loved seeing the two of them explore all that power and control. Nik is normally this fairly quiet, somewhat timid guy, but when he gets his dominant side out he is so intense. The guys engage in lots of power games with Nik directing the scenes and controlling Ryan’s behavior and his orgasm. I found it all crazy hot and loved seeing how both of these guys are finding what they need together.
The really interesting thread that runs through this book is that as much as the sex is hot and fabulous between them, they are also ignoring some important things that need to be addressed. They kind of gloss over ever really discussing what they both want, what their limits are, etc, in favor of jumping right into things. When there are problems, like Nik’s extreme jealousy cropping up, they often don’t get resolved in favor of more sex. As time passes, Nik ends up kind of disassociating his normal personality from his Dom one, even going so far as to think of him as another person (whom he calls Julian, his middle name). Julian can be bold and brave and talk dirty and do things that Nik is not able to do. But soon it is almost like Julian is acting apart from Nik and Nik can’t always control him. What Knox does so well here is show us glimpses of these problems as the story goes on. We can see something is not right, and at times even the characters can see it too, but it is kind of like this train wreck that we can’t stop. I found it really interesting to see this conflict, as so many things are just wonderful about this relationship, but there is also something dark curling there that we see growing with time.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Ooh, I really liked this one. I’ll say right now from a kink standpoint this story pushes all my buttons. I loved that big Ryan likes to be bound, and I loved seeing the two of them explore all that power and control. Nik is normally this fairly quiet, somewhat timid guy, but when he gets his dominant side out he is so intense. The guys engage in lots of power games with Nik directing the scenes and controlling Ryan’s behavior and his orgasm. I found it all crazy hot and loved seeing how both of these guys are finding what they need together.
The really interesting thread that runs through this book is that as much as the sex is hot and fabulous between them, they are also ignoring some important things that need to be addressed. They kind of gloss over ever really discussing what they both want, what their limits are, etc, in favor of jumping right into things. When there are problems, like Nik’s extreme jealousy cropping up, they often don’t get resolved in favor of more sex. As time passes, Nik ends up kind of disassociating his normal personality from his Dom one, even going so far as to think of him as another person (whom he calls Julian, his middle name). Julian can be bold and brave and talk dirty and do things that Nik is not able to do. But soon it is almost like Julian is acting apart from Nik and Nik can’t always control him. What Knox does so well here is show us glimpses of these problems as the story goes on. We can see something is not right, and at times even the characters can see it too, but it is kind of like this train wreck that we can’t stop. I found it really interesting to see this conflict, as so many things are just wonderful about this relationship, but there is also something dark curling there that we see growing with time.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 30, 2016
*I received a copy of Yogi and The Bear from the publisher via Netgalley*
This began as a 4-5 star book but unfortunately I had to bump the rating down the more I read. It's more like a 2.5, and the extra half star is just because of Ryan. His personality grabbed me from the very first page and I fell in love with his character. He is confident, unafraid of acting silly or being forward. And he is hilarious.
Then comes(hur hur) Niklas, who is...different. He begins the story as a calm yogi who is at times confident and at times skittish and afraid of everyone. And he has good reason to be. But it didn't make sense to me that this character would quite suddenly change his personality and
What really ruined the book for me was that most of the plot was dropped in favor of constant sex. I felt like everything that happened after the beginning of the book was an excuse for the characters to jump into bed together. Most of the book was sex and the rest was the two characters talking about sex. I was so bored! After the first few chapters I didn't glimpse Ryan's amazing personality again.
It was very disappointing because I thought I was going to love this book a lot.
This began as a 4-5 star book but unfortunately I had to bump the rating down the more I read. It's more like a 2.5, and the extra half star is just because of Ryan. His personality grabbed me from the very first page and I fell in love with his character. He is confident, unafraid of acting silly or being forward. And he is hilarious.
Then comes(hur hur) Niklas, who is...different. He begins the story as a calm yogi who is at times confident and at times skittish and afraid of everyone. And he has good reason to be. But it didn't make sense to me that this character would quite suddenly change his personality and
What really ruined the book for me was that most of the plot was dropped in favor of constant sex. I felt like everything that happened after the beginning of the book was an excuse for the characters to jump into bed together. Most of the book was sex and the rest was the two characters talking about sex. I was so bored! After the first few chapters I didn't glimpse Ryan's amazing personality again.
It was very disappointing because I thought I was going to love this book a lot.
August 4, 2015
I received a free copy of this book via the Goodreads Don't buy My Love program in exchange for an honest review.
This book. Loved it! I mean, I literally loved every word I read. It’s a little fluffy and really easy to read. Or at least, that’s what I was expecting. Then, wow. It took off. I couldn’t put it down. I really felt like I was a part of the story. I cared so much about both Ryan and Nik. There are very few other characters in the story. A few are fleshed out, but most are just in the periphery. This actually is necessary for the plot to move as well as it does.
Ryan is a laid-back construction worker. He’s injured on the job and really just wants to go back to work, but the pain is too much. Nik is a yoga instructor who helps Ryan. See, nice easy romance. Yeah, except Nik has so many issues. These guys try to do their romance the right way, but keep getting horny. Neither is much for talking when that happens. What makes this amazing is the conflict isn’t imaginary, or contrived. The problems that developed were real and believable. The way they had to work for it was also believable.
This book. Loved it! I mean, I literally loved every word I read. It’s a little fluffy and really easy to read. Or at least, that’s what I was expecting. Then, wow. It took off. I couldn’t put it down. I really felt like I was a part of the story. I cared so much about both Ryan and Nik. There are very few other characters in the story. A few are fleshed out, but most are just in the periphery. This actually is necessary for the plot to move as well as it does.
Ryan is a laid-back construction worker. He’s injured on the job and really just wants to go back to work, but the pain is too much. Nik is a yoga instructor who helps Ryan. See, nice easy romance. Yeah, except Nik has so many issues. These guys try to do their romance the right way, but keep getting horny. Neither is much for talking when that happens. What makes this amazing is the conflict isn’t imaginary, or contrived. The problems that developed were real and believable. The way they had to work for it was also believable.
April 21, 2015
I don’t quite know what I was expecting from Yogi and the Bear, but Nix Knox exceeded any expectations I may have had for this book. I was completely drawn in and engaged from nearly the first sentence, Ryan is adorable: big, strong and the epitome of a gentle giant. Fun loving and almost all bluster with no bite, he’s hard not to like and enjoy. An accident at work has left Ryan with some chronic pain, and he’s struggled with managing it in many ways with no real solution. On a whim he decides to try the yoga class at the New Age Center, and the story is off and running!
Nik is a smaller and wiry guy, the polar opposite of Ryan. A yoga instructor, he’s a very solid and well-portrayed introvert: comfortable only in situations that he can manage. His childhood upheavals and trauma led to him leaving home at 16, and he’s never allowed himself a relationship or connection with anyone in any meaningful way. When he first encounters Ryan in the bathroom, he’s intrigued, but hands off. Until a freak power outage and a hot man drop more than his inhibitions.
A relationship, not just a romance, is what follows: real feelings displayed with humor and honesty that quickly spin to have you in tears, the emotion that is on the page reaches out and grabs at your heart. Both Nik and Ryan have a serious amount of growing to do, individually and together, although Ryan is far more in touch with his own feelings and desires, and much more vocal about both. A huge bonus for this book is the honest depiction of a relationship: both are interested in exploring the edges and pushing the limits, but Knox doesn’t make their first encounters with BDSM into a rule-free zone. In fact, they get advice and promptly ignore it, finding an encounter that pushes buttons and leaves them both questioning their relationship. While not a matter of not discussing sex, or anything really, this book is laden with honest portrayals of desires, fantasies and what ifs that are the foundation of any healthy adult relationship, but are most certainly integral to a well-functioning BDSM experience. And, while not every chapter is laden with sexy and steamy moments, there are more than enough to please my inner voyeur.
What emerges is one of the better m/m romances that I have read in quite a while, with characters that are so real they breathe from the pages, dotted with humor, tears and plenty of love.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Jeep Diva for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Nik is a smaller and wiry guy, the polar opposite of Ryan. A yoga instructor, he’s a very solid and well-portrayed introvert: comfortable only in situations that he can manage. His childhood upheavals and trauma led to him leaving home at 16, and he’s never allowed himself a relationship or connection with anyone in any meaningful way. When he first encounters Ryan in the bathroom, he’s intrigued, but hands off. Until a freak power outage and a hot man drop more than his inhibitions.
A relationship, not just a romance, is what follows: real feelings displayed with humor and honesty that quickly spin to have you in tears, the emotion that is on the page reaches out and grabs at your heart. Both Nik and Ryan have a serious amount of growing to do, individually and together, although Ryan is far more in touch with his own feelings and desires, and much more vocal about both. A huge bonus for this book is the honest depiction of a relationship: both are interested in exploring the edges and pushing the limits, but Knox doesn’t make their first encounters with BDSM into a rule-free zone. In fact, they get advice and promptly ignore it, finding an encounter that pushes buttons and leaves them both questioning their relationship. While not a matter of not discussing sex, or anything really, this book is laden with honest portrayals of desires, fantasies and what ifs that are the foundation of any healthy adult relationship, but are most certainly integral to a well-functioning BDSM experience. And, while not every chapter is laden with sexy and steamy moments, there are more than enough to please my inner voyeur.
What emerges is one of the better m/m romances that I have read in quite a while, with characters that are so real they breathe from the pages, dotted with humor, tears and plenty of love.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Jeep Diva for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 14, 2015
I adored this honest, funny, moving, and completely believable love story. Ryan is a big cuddly, sexy teddy bear who also happens to be generous, kind, funny, and wise. Nik is proof that good things come in small, very flexible packages. Together, they explore BDSM, nearly cock up the whole thing when they DON'T follow some very good advice, and slowly learn to trust each other again. Utah provides an interesting setting for an MM story, but the true drama at the heart of this book is all character-driven. The mind-meltingly hot smexy times are fantastic, too. Five steamy, stereotype-bucking, tie-me-down-whenever-you-want-to stars!
I received a free copy of this book from the author.
I received a free copy of this book from the author.
May 17, 2015
I received this book from the author through the m/m romance group's Don't Buy Me Love Program in exchange for a fair and honest review.
hmmmm..... okay, I've deleted several beginning sentences because I'm finding it difficult to put into words all of my many reactions to this book. Please bear with me...
This story introduces us to sweet, kind, lovable, funny, injured Ryan Powell. This ex-Mormon sure is the sweetest guy. I loved his voice and his sense of humor from word one.
We also meet yoga instructor/masseuse, Nik Baumgartner who is a lovable,sweet, scared, screwed up mess.
My favorite Quote: "You're an enigma wrapped in a riddle dropped in the boiling oil of mystery."
This story truly grabbed me from the beginning and held me captive until Julian... ~sigh~... selfish, aggressive Julian. He just felt wrong and made me uncomfortable from his initial appearance. Which isn't always a bad thing.
For an author to make me that uncomfortable tells me that this is going to be one hell of a good book. Like an onion it's going to contain many layers, good & bad. My favorite books make me laugh and cry and if they happen to contain BDSM.... well all the better in my opinion.
However, sadly this was not to be the case.
First off there were too many things that were just unbelievable. For instance Julian smelled different. Sorry can't buy that no matter what. A person's smell just doesn't magically change. Well at least in a non-paranormal romance book which for just a little bit I wondered if that was something I'd somehow missed. But no this is indeed non-paranormal.
Secondly to go from hearing, "Can't handle sex" to that persona?! Nope, not buying it. At least not the way it's all explained. Split personality, sure okay, but that's not what this is either. This is just wrong...
Sadly, the wonderful story that I'd been loving took a massive turn and veered too sharply without ever bringing the feeling back...
What I kept thinking was that this had been all plotted out: point A; point B; point C; point D; then rush to the finish line.
Sadly the focus was so much on those points that the characters and the feelings were lost to me. Suddenly instead of seeing these two men that I'd cared about work through their issues I was just being told things. Reading explanations of why things happened instead of letting me see them happen and draw on my own intelligence to understand the whys. Also, a lot of summarizing scenes instead of showing them to me. Scenes that I would have loved being a part of.
A small, simple example is when they were going to dine out after the first Dr. appointment and "But that was nothing compared to the rest of the evening." Then just being told this, this and that. Then, suddenly after skipping those things we do get to see some dialogue that I couldn't care less about.
Other things just sort of got skipped. I'd written myself a note asking "Hell, does Ryan even know about Nik's job situation?! I have no clue!" We'd certainly not seen them discuss it or been told about it. Then a little while later, after who knows how much time has passed there's a conversation that leads me to believe that he's known about it all along. Then I'm left wondering how he knows. We certainly have no clue. Same with no clue as to how much time elapsed later. Then to summarize way too many thing including telling me about the first truly intimate moment between the Nik & Ryan? Really?!
I'm just left feeling thankful that I've read other books by this author so I know that this is not the norm and disappointed that these two sweet men got lost long the way.
hmmmm..... okay, I've deleted several beginning sentences because I'm finding it difficult to put into words all of my many reactions to this book. Please bear with me...
This story introduces us to sweet, kind, lovable, funny, injured Ryan Powell. This ex-Mormon sure is the sweetest guy. I loved his voice and his sense of humor from word one.
We also meet yoga instructor/masseuse, Nik Baumgartner who is a lovable,sweet, scared, screwed up mess.
My favorite Quote: "You're an enigma wrapped in a riddle dropped in the boiling oil of mystery."
This story truly grabbed me from the beginning and held me captive until Julian... ~sigh~... selfish, aggressive Julian. He just felt wrong and made me uncomfortable from his initial appearance. Which isn't always a bad thing.
For an author to make me that uncomfortable tells me that this is going to be one hell of a good book. Like an onion it's going to contain many layers, good & bad. My favorite books make me laugh and cry and if they happen to contain BDSM.... well all the better in my opinion.
However, sadly this was not to be the case.
First off there were too many things that were just unbelievable. For instance Julian smelled different. Sorry can't buy that no matter what. A person's smell just doesn't magically change. Well at least in a non-paranormal romance book which for just a little bit I wondered if that was something I'd somehow missed. But no this is indeed non-paranormal.
Secondly to go from hearing, "Can't handle sex" to that persona?! Nope, not buying it. At least not the way it's all explained. Split personality, sure okay, but that's not what this is either. This is just wrong...
Sadly, the wonderful story that I'd been loving took a massive turn and veered too sharply without ever bringing the feeling back...
What I kept thinking was that this had been all plotted out: point A; point B; point C; point D; then rush to the finish line.
Sadly the focus was so much on those points that the characters and the feelings were lost to me. Suddenly instead of seeing these two men that I'd cared about work through their issues I was just being told things. Reading explanations of why things happened instead of letting me see them happen and draw on my own intelligence to understand the whys. Also, a lot of summarizing scenes instead of showing them to me. Scenes that I would have loved being a part of.
A small, simple example is when they were going to dine out after the first Dr. appointment and "But that was nothing compared to the rest of the evening." Then just being told this, this and that. Then, suddenly after skipping those things we do get to see some dialogue that I couldn't care less about.
Other things just sort of got skipped. I'd written myself a note asking "Hell, does Ryan even know about Nik's job situation?! I have no clue!" We'd certainly not seen them discuss it or been told about it. Then a little while later, after who knows how much time has passed there's a conversation that leads me to believe that he's known about it all along. Then I'm left wondering how he knows. We certainly have no clue. Same with no clue as to how much time elapsed later. Then to summarize way too many thing including telling me about the first truly intimate moment between the Nik & Ryan? Really?!
I'm just left feeling thankful that I've read other books by this author so I know that this is not the norm and disappointed that these two sweet men got lost long the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2015
Reviewed for The Novel Approach.
God, I loved this book. There was so much to love about it, I’m trying to remember it all. I highlighted a lot as I read, to keep track and then tell everyone how amazing this was, but I’m afraid I’ll forget something!
First, I have not read other books by Nix Knox, and though this is not part of a series, characters from one of the author’s previous books are mentioned briefly and do play a role in the lives of Nik and Ryan, even if they personally are never on the page.
Second, HILARIOUS dialogue. I laughed so many times. The back and forth between Ryan and Nik is just great. Ryan has a habit of saying something, usually making a poor word choice, Nik questioning that word choice, Ryan amending it, and Nik picking which of the two he prefers. It happens throughout the book, and I loved that back and forth between them. It made them such unique, real characters to me, and I wanted to get to know them personally. I wanted to pull them from my pages and just watch them talk. My favorite line from the book? Ryan and Nik go into Ryan’s room for privacy to fool around. Nik leaves to get his backpack and comes back to a suddenly naked Ryan: “I don’t know what happened.” Ryan shrugged as he spread his arms wide. “Some clothing monster came in and snap, here I was, naked.” I’m laughing again rereading that. And let’s not even get started on the fact that Ryan names his dick Mr. Winky, and his reason for it.
Third, the angst. Oh, believe me it’s there, despite the humor. I felt for Nik and Ryan. Both of them are treading waters they haven’t before, and even though they’re given advice from a longtime Dom, when they start testing the BDSM waters, they don’t listen. And they pay for that. My heart broke for Nik and his need to keep his Dom-self separated as Julian. It truly seemed like he had a split personality at times, and as hot as it was to watch him switch between Nik and Julian, the pain that went with it was palpable. And watching Ryan suffer from his work injuries and the weight of stress from his family…whoever thinks stress isn’t painful should read those scenes.
Four, the book challenges perceptions of gay relationships, especially in the BDSM community. A lot of people automatically tend to think small man=bottom, big man=top. They don’t consider the vast array of personalities that accompany the size of those men. Just because a man is physically smaller than another doesn’t automatically make him submissive, just as a larger man isn’t automatically a Dominant. Nix Knox takes those stereotypes and throws them out the window. Sure, they’re addressed. Ryan admits he does want to submit to a man, but doesn’t voice it because the one time he does, he’s pretty much laughed at by his partner. Nik doesn’t laugh. Though much smaller, he has a side to him, Julian, who wants to Dominate another man, especially one larger than him. Ryan and Nik fit perfectly together in that sense. But that’s not all they are, they’re not always in a scene or a BDSM mindset. There are times when Ryan is protective and a bit Dominant and Nik is the more submissive and craves the security and protection Ryan offers.
Have I mentioned how much I love them?
I’m just going to stop here because I could go on about this book for quite some time. Basically, you should read it for yourself. Now, excuse me while I go off to find the author’s other books.
God, I loved this book. There was so much to love about it, I’m trying to remember it all. I highlighted a lot as I read, to keep track and then tell everyone how amazing this was, but I’m afraid I’ll forget something!
First, I have not read other books by Nix Knox, and though this is not part of a series, characters from one of the author’s previous books are mentioned briefly and do play a role in the lives of Nik and Ryan, even if they personally are never on the page.
Second, HILARIOUS dialogue. I laughed so many times. The back and forth between Ryan and Nik is just great. Ryan has a habit of saying something, usually making a poor word choice, Nik questioning that word choice, Ryan amending it, and Nik picking which of the two he prefers. It happens throughout the book, and I loved that back and forth between them. It made them such unique, real characters to me, and I wanted to get to know them personally. I wanted to pull them from my pages and just watch them talk. My favorite line from the book? Ryan and Nik go into Ryan’s room for privacy to fool around. Nik leaves to get his backpack and comes back to a suddenly naked Ryan: “I don’t know what happened.” Ryan shrugged as he spread his arms wide. “Some clothing monster came in and snap, here I was, naked.” I’m laughing again rereading that. And let’s not even get started on the fact that Ryan names his dick Mr. Winky, and his reason for it.
Third, the angst. Oh, believe me it’s there, despite the humor. I felt for Nik and Ryan. Both of them are treading waters they haven’t before, and even though they’re given advice from a longtime Dom, when they start testing the BDSM waters, they don’t listen. And they pay for that. My heart broke for Nik and his need to keep his Dom-self separated as Julian. It truly seemed like he had a split personality at times, and as hot as it was to watch him switch between Nik and Julian, the pain that went with it was palpable. And watching Ryan suffer from his work injuries and the weight of stress from his family…whoever thinks stress isn’t painful should read those scenes.
Four, the book challenges perceptions of gay relationships, especially in the BDSM community. A lot of people automatically tend to think small man=bottom, big man=top. They don’t consider the vast array of personalities that accompany the size of those men. Just because a man is physically smaller than another doesn’t automatically make him submissive, just as a larger man isn’t automatically a Dominant. Nix Knox takes those stereotypes and throws them out the window. Sure, they’re addressed. Ryan admits he does want to submit to a man, but doesn’t voice it because the one time he does, he’s pretty much laughed at by his partner. Nik doesn’t laugh. Though much smaller, he has a side to him, Julian, who wants to Dominate another man, especially one larger than him. Ryan and Nik fit perfectly together in that sense. But that’s not all they are, they’re not always in a scene or a BDSM mindset. There are times when Ryan is protective and a bit Dominant and Nik is the more submissive and craves the security and protection Ryan offers.
Have I mentioned how much I love them?
I’m just going to stop here because I could go on about this book for quite some time. Basically, you should read it for yourself. Now, excuse me while I go off to find the author’s other books.
February 18, 2015
From the title, I was expecting a more cutesy, light read when I requested Yogi and the Bear from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I was also expecting a hotter read from the naked guy in the cuffs on the cover. I got a more thoughtful, realistic look at a new relationship and a couple new to both being in a relationship as well as BDSM.
Nik and Ryan meet during a blackout in a bathroom and have a brief interlude. Both are attracted to each other when they realize with whom they'd trysted. They quickly move in together but decide to start as roommates and work slowly towards a more intimate relationship because Nik (the yogi) is a 25 year old virgin who has never been in a relationship of any sort. Obviously, Nik has issues. He left home at 16 for reasons I won't give away, but it's certainly unique. Ryan (the bear) also had a bad childhood growing up in a very religious Mormon household, no surprise his sexuality wasn't accepted. Ryan has worked through any issues he may have had and at 30 is in a good place emotionally and financially.
Their relationship develops with bumps along the way which makes sense for two people who were never in a real relationship before. And while there are blow ups, I liked how both were reasonable and came together to discuss what happened after they cooled off. A lot of the book focuses on their sex life which isn't unusual given their ages and the fact that this is a first real relationship for them both. Ryan has known for a long time that he was interested in bondage, but hasn't had the opportunity to explore it and Nik is surprised to learn of his own interest in BDSM and how it manifests. So, they do a lot of research and exploring. For once in a book with BDSM, no one is an expert and what happens isn't always great. In fact, there is a scene which goes wrong and I really appreciate how the author decided to handle it. That scene basically set ups everything that happens in the story afterwards.
The one aspect I didn't find realistic was Nik being a teen runaway and still being a virgin and inexperienced in all ways at 25. We are told enough that we know he had no assistance, so how did he avoid the trap of becoming a teen sex worker statistic? He sounds like the perfect victim being small as well as the right age and lack of resources including no high school diploma and no usable social security number for a real job. There's also a sub plot with Ryan's sister which I don't feel added much to the story and could have been cut out with no real detriment to the story. I didn't mind it though, it was minimal and what ultimately happens is handled better than I thought it would be.
The story ends with Nik and Ryan working on their relationship and I would be interested in a follow up.
I would recommend Yogi and the Bear to readers looking more for a relationship story than a hot read. I didn't find the sex scenes especially hot and there was more talking than doing. However, the talking about what was going to happen or was happening was more effective than the actual doing.
Nik and Ryan meet during a blackout in a bathroom and have a brief interlude. Both are attracted to each other when they realize with whom they'd trysted. They quickly move in together but decide to start as roommates and work slowly towards a more intimate relationship because Nik (the yogi) is a 25 year old virgin who has never been in a relationship of any sort. Obviously, Nik has issues. He left home at 16 for reasons I won't give away, but it's certainly unique. Ryan (the bear) also had a bad childhood growing up in a very religious Mormon household, no surprise his sexuality wasn't accepted. Ryan has worked through any issues he may have had and at 30 is in a good place emotionally and financially.
Their relationship develops with bumps along the way which makes sense for two people who were never in a real relationship before. And while there are blow ups, I liked how both were reasonable and came together to discuss what happened after they cooled off. A lot of the book focuses on their sex life which isn't unusual given their ages and the fact that this is a first real relationship for them both. Ryan has known for a long time that he was interested in bondage, but hasn't had the opportunity to explore it and Nik is surprised to learn of his own interest in BDSM and how it manifests. So, they do a lot of research and exploring. For once in a book with BDSM, no one is an expert and what happens isn't always great. In fact, there is a scene which goes wrong and I really appreciate how the author decided to handle it. That scene basically set ups everything that happens in the story afterwards.
The one aspect I didn't find realistic was Nik being a teen runaway and still being a virgin and inexperienced in all ways at 25. We are told enough that we know he had no assistance, so how did he avoid the trap of becoming a teen sex worker statistic? He sounds like the perfect victim being small as well as the right age and lack of resources including no high school diploma and no usable social security number for a real job. There's also a sub plot with Ryan's sister which I don't feel added much to the story and could have been cut out with no real detriment to the story. I didn't mind it though, it was minimal and what ultimately happens is handled better than I thought it would be.
The story ends with Nik and Ryan working on their relationship and I would be interested in a follow up.
I would recommend Yogi and the Bear to readers looking more for a relationship story than a hot read. I didn't find the sex scenes especially hot and there was more talking than doing. However, the talking about what was going to happen or was happening was more effective than the actual doing.
April 21, 2015
Ryan is a construction worker who was injured on the job. He is currently on workers comp and still suffering from extreme back pain. On the advice of his doctor he decides to try yoga as a way to help get rid of the pain. So even though he is uncomfortable about the idea he goes to the local New Age Center. During a little power outage in the men’s locker room Ryan and a stranger with great hands get a little up close and personal.
That stranger turns out to be his new yogi.
Nik is a very interesting character. He has a vow of chastity going on and has kept it for five years. Until Ryan comes along. Ryan is the first man to really attract Nik. I actually understood Nik’s idea of the vow and it made sense for him. He did not come from a very good home life. In fact he had to run away at sixteen and be on his own. But the experiences left him unable to really emotionally attach himself to anyone, until Ryan. Ryan literally starts breaking down Nik’s walls simply by asking him how he wants things to go and giving Nik choices.
Ryan really is a gentle bear. He is very caring and trustworthy. He doesn’t push for things and he asks for what he wants, but doesn’t demand. He finds in Nik something he wants to hold onto. He also discovers someone who wants the same things sexually that he wants. Ryan wants someone who will tie him up, and Nix wants to have that control over Ryan. Ryan is really a good switch. He wants both to be submissive at times and alpha at others.
Neither Ryan nor Nix had the best family growing up, and they both made their ways away from them. But it has left them a little damaged. Together, and with a little help from a shrink and a good BDSM site, they make their way into their almost perfect relationship. But things are not easy for either of them and they have to work together. Along the way they discover their deepest sexual desires and explore them. Although when they fail to follow the advice of the BDSM site they nearly destroy what they have.
The story was not all drama through. There were some absolutely great comedy relief scenes. The humor was well placed and there was quite a few laugh out loud moments. Like when Ryan relieved the name of his penis as “Mr. Winky”, I almost died laughing, and his reason for the name even made perfect sense. There were movie references dropped all over, like South Park and The Kentucky Fried Movie. Ryan with his absolute potty mouth was another something that added good humor. Even better was that he corrupted Nik to start usually bad words. The accidental porn scenes had me in stitches.
This book was well written with a great combination of angst, comedy, and sexy moments. This is well worth a read. It shows what can happen to those who don’t communicate in a relationship, not only in BDSM but another other kinds too.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
That stranger turns out to be his new yogi.
Nik is a very interesting character. He has a vow of chastity going on and has kept it for five years. Until Ryan comes along. Ryan is the first man to really attract Nik. I actually understood Nik’s idea of the vow and it made sense for him. He did not come from a very good home life. In fact he had to run away at sixteen and be on his own. But the experiences left him unable to really emotionally attach himself to anyone, until Ryan. Ryan literally starts breaking down Nik’s walls simply by asking him how he wants things to go and giving Nik choices.
Ryan really is a gentle bear. He is very caring and trustworthy. He doesn’t push for things and he asks for what he wants, but doesn’t demand. He finds in Nik something he wants to hold onto. He also discovers someone who wants the same things sexually that he wants. Ryan wants someone who will tie him up, and Nix wants to have that control over Ryan. Ryan is really a good switch. He wants both to be submissive at times and alpha at others.
Neither Ryan nor Nix had the best family growing up, and they both made their ways away from them. But it has left them a little damaged. Together, and with a little help from a shrink and a good BDSM site, they make their way into their almost perfect relationship. But things are not easy for either of them and they have to work together. Along the way they discover their deepest sexual desires and explore them. Although when they fail to follow the advice of the BDSM site they nearly destroy what they have.
The story was not all drama through. There were some absolutely great comedy relief scenes. The humor was well placed and there was quite a few laugh out loud moments. Like when Ryan relieved the name of his penis as “Mr. Winky”, I almost died laughing, and his reason for the name even made perfect sense. There were movie references dropped all over, like South Park and The Kentucky Fried Movie. Ryan with his absolute potty mouth was another something that added good humor. Even better was that he corrupted Nik to start usually bad words. The accidental porn scenes had me in stitches.
This book was well written with a great combination of angst, comedy, and sexy moments. This is well worth a read. It shows what can happen to those who don’t communicate in a relationship, not only in BDSM but another other kinds too.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
February 19, 2015
I received a copy of this book at no charge through Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. Review first posted on Nautical Star Books.
In Yogi and the Bear, Ryan and Nik meet under rather unusual circumstances. When Ryan decides to try out yoga for relief from his chronic pain he heads over to the New Age Center for a yoga class. Nik, a yoga instructor there, just happens to end up in the bathroom at the same time as Ryan...right when the power goes out. Their sexy little bathroom encounter leaves the both craving more, despite Nik's inexperience in the dating game. An unexpected turn of events has Nik moving in as Ryan's roommate but they soon realize that the heat between them can't be ignored. And when they finally give in to that heat, they realize that they both have a bit of a kinky side they really want to explore.
I received one copy of this book at no charge through Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really loved Ryan's character in Yogi and the Bear..he was gentle, honest and open with Nik about his feelings. Having come from a Mormon background I was happy to see that he had completely accepted his sexuality despite his parent's repeated attempts at converting him. I enjoyed his confidence with his sexuality but also with the fact that he wanted to be tied up. His reasoning was 'If I enjoy it and it feels good, lets do it'. It was a refreshing way to look at things.
Nik, however, was much more conflicted. Having come from a horrible family situation and running away from home at 16, he had issues he had to deal with. Without giving away too much....lets just say I saw the train wreck that was happening as soon as his dominant persona reared it's head. And I admit that I found his constant need to ask "WHY" he felt like that very annoying. While it was annoying to read sometimes, it did portray his confusion and lack of confidence which is what I'm sure the author was aiming for.
There is a lot of sex in Yogi and the Bear...but not necessarily ACTUAL sex. There is plenty of that, too, but there is a whole bunch of TALKING about sex. While this is a vital part of a successful BDSM relationship, I think it got hammered home a bit too much. It was very well written...I just would have like to see less of it. I think a subplot outside of their relationship (besides the issues Ryan had with his sister) would have helped balance out the story.
Overall, I think that Yogi and the Bear was a good book and it especially showed the need for honest and open communication in a BDSM relationship.
In Yogi and the Bear, Ryan and Nik meet under rather unusual circumstances. When Ryan decides to try out yoga for relief from his chronic pain he heads over to the New Age Center for a yoga class. Nik, a yoga instructor there, just happens to end up in the bathroom at the same time as Ryan...right when the power goes out. Their sexy little bathroom encounter leaves the both craving more, despite Nik's inexperience in the dating game. An unexpected turn of events has Nik moving in as Ryan's roommate but they soon realize that the heat between them can't be ignored. And when they finally give in to that heat, they realize that they both have a bit of a kinky side they really want to explore.
I received one copy of this book at no charge through Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really loved Ryan's character in Yogi and the Bear..he was gentle, honest and open with Nik about his feelings. Having come from a Mormon background I was happy to see that he had completely accepted his sexuality despite his parent's repeated attempts at converting him. I enjoyed his confidence with his sexuality but also with the fact that he wanted to be tied up. His reasoning was 'If I enjoy it and it feels good, lets do it'. It was a refreshing way to look at things.
Nik, however, was much more conflicted. Having come from a horrible family situation and running away from home at 16, he had issues he had to deal with. Without giving away too much....lets just say I saw the train wreck that was happening as soon as his dominant persona reared it's head. And I admit that I found his constant need to ask "WHY" he felt like that very annoying. While it was annoying to read sometimes, it did portray his confusion and lack of confidence which is what I'm sure the author was aiming for.
There is a lot of sex in Yogi and the Bear...but not necessarily ACTUAL sex. There is plenty of that, too, but there is a whole bunch of TALKING about sex. While this is a vital part of a successful BDSM relationship, I think it got hammered home a bit too much. It was very well written...I just would have like to see less of it. I think a subplot outside of their relationship (besides the issues Ryan had with his sister) would have helped balance out the story.
Overall, I think that Yogi and the Bear was a good book and it especially showed the need for honest and open communication in a BDSM relationship.
February 17, 2015
I really looked forward to reading this book, and it didn't let me down. Yogi and the Bear is a amazing cocktail of laugh out loud funny moments, love, romance and a big shot of deliciously kinky sex. Nix Knox wove a wonderful tale of two guys discovering their love of each other and of bondage, whilst also working their way through past traumas and the effect they had on their lives and personalities.
Ryan has to be one of my all time favourite characters - loyal, funny, loving and protective with a potty mouth all wrapped up in a gorgeous hunky package. He is a big, blond, fun loving bear. It took me a little longer to fall in love with Nik. He is such a complex character, with lots of issues, but he is so well written. Nik has his insecure, shy side but Ryan brings out the dominant, possessive side of him. This confuses Nik and he even refers to the other side of his character as a different person with a different name! He certainly has alot of problems that he needs to work through, but his journey makes a great read. It's refreshing to have two unique, well-drawn characters - often in BDSM themed books they are cookie cutter characters who are instantly forgettable.
Nik and Ryan don't start off well with their forays into bondage - they ignore some essential advice they are given and something goes wrong. These scenes are a little uncomfortable as you can tell it's all going to go pear-shaped - I just wanted to shout at them and tell them to stop and talk! This story really hammers home the 'safe, sane and consenual' message of BDSM, and proves that you really need to communicate to make these type of relationships work.
This is a very moving book and at times it had me in tears. It's emotional, with some real angst, but it's balanced out with some very funny moments (I loved the 'accidental porn' scene!). An honest and totally believable tale where you really wanted the relationship to succeed.
Yogi and the Bear is a terrific read, I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys m/m romances. It definitely deserves 5 stars, it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. This was the first Nix Knox book I've read, but it won't be the last!
I received an ARC free of charge for the purposes of an honest review.
Ryan has to be one of my all time favourite characters - loyal, funny, loving and protective with a potty mouth all wrapped up in a gorgeous hunky package. He is a big, blond, fun loving bear. It took me a little longer to fall in love with Nik. He is such a complex character, with lots of issues, but he is so well written. Nik has his insecure, shy side but Ryan brings out the dominant, possessive side of him. This confuses Nik and he even refers to the other side of his character as a different person with a different name! He certainly has alot of problems that he needs to work through, but his journey makes a great read. It's refreshing to have two unique, well-drawn characters - often in BDSM themed books they are cookie cutter characters who are instantly forgettable.
Nik and Ryan don't start off well with their forays into bondage - they ignore some essential advice they are given and something goes wrong. These scenes are a little uncomfortable as you can tell it's all going to go pear-shaped - I just wanted to shout at them and tell them to stop and talk! This story really hammers home the 'safe, sane and consenual' message of BDSM, and proves that you really need to communicate to make these type of relationships work.
This is a very moving book and at times it had me in tears. It's emotional, with some real angst, but it's balanced out with some very funny moments (I loved the 'accidental porn' scene!). An honest and totally believable tale where you really wanted the relationship to succeed.
Yogi and the Bear is a terrific read, I highly recommend it to everyone who enjoys m/m romances. It definitely deserves 5 stars, it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. This was the first Nix Knox book I've read, but it won't be the last!
I received an ARC free of charge for the purposes of an honest review.
April 27, 2015
4 heart reveiw by Amber
What an interesting twist to the average BDSM lifestyle. When I read the blurb for this story I wasn’t expecting them to go so hardcore into scenes, but I enjoyed when they did and I really enjoyed how it all played out. There were so many unique facets to the story that really drew me in. I really loved Nik and Ryan together. I fall hard for characters like Ryan. Big, strong, Alpha types that are incredibly sensitive and good.
Niklas Baumgartner is a trained yoga instructor/masseuse. He believes strongly in taking care of his body inside and out. One day at work he goes to use the restroom when the electricity went out. Unbeknownst to him there is another man in the stall next to him who gets startled. Trying to reassure the man that the lights will come back on in a few minutes they end up having a spur of the moment sexual encounter in the dark.
Ryan Powell hurt his back when he fell off a scaffold at work. He’s been having chronic pain ever since. He doesn’t like taking the pain medication so his doctor suggests yoga. And Ryan is very happy he did considering he got a HOT hand job from his new yoga instructor.
I think normally the hand job scene would have seemed weird to me if it had been written any other way. For some reason, even though Nik is a virgin, it just made sense and was super hot. Nik is extremely skittish in the beginning of their blossoming relationship but Ryan is gentle, and extremely patient. They embark on an interest they both share, BDSM. On their journey they both embrace their D/s sides. During their scenes Nik has another side of him come out in the form of a very dominant, Julian. I loved that little twist. I really enjoyed how Ryan was so receptive to Nik/Julian’s needs.
Like all new fledgling relationships these men have many hurdles to jump. Ryan has baggage involving overly religious parents and a hormonal/judgmental sister. While Nik struggles with family issues of his own and his need to know why he is the way he is.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and all the little nuances of these men together. It was very good!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
What an interesting twist to the average BDSM lifestyle. When I read the blurb for this story I wasn’t expecting them to go so hardcore into scenes, but I enjoyed when they did and I really enjoyed how it all played out. There were so many unique facets to the story that really drew me in. I really loved Nik and Ryan together. I fall hard for characters like Ryan. Big, strong, Alpha types that are incredibly sensitive and good.
Niklas Baumgartner is a trained yoga instructor/masseuse. He believes strongly in taking care of his body inside and out. One day at work he goes to use the restroom when the electricity went out. Unbeknownst to him there is another man in the stall next to him who gets startled. Trying to reassure the man that the lights will come back on in a few minutes they end up having a spur of the moment sexual encounter in the dark.
Ryan Powell hurt his back when he fell off a scaffold at work. He’s been having chronic pain ever since. He doesn’t like taking the pain medication so his doctor suggests yoga. And Ryan is very happy he did considering he got a HOT hand job from his new yoga instructor.
I think normally the hand job scene would have seemed weird to me if it had been written any other way. For some reason, even though Nik is a virgin, it just made sense and was super hot. Nik is extremely skittish in the beginning of their blossoming relationship but Ryan is gentle, and extremely patient. They embark on an interest they both share, BDSM. On their journey they both embrace their D/s sides. During their scenes Nik has another side of him come out in the form of a very dominant, Julian. I loved that little twist. I really enjoyed how Ryan was so receptive to Nik/Julian’s needs.
Like all new fledgling relationships these men have many hurdles to jump. Ryan has baggage involving overly religious parents and a hormonal/judgmental sister. While Nik struggles with family issues of his own and his need to know why he is the way he is.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and all the little nuances of these men together. It was very good!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
July 1, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In theory, Yogi and the Bear sounded like a novel I would enjoy. I love d/s, woobie characters with a tragic past, and subs who are bigger than their doms.
Sadly, this novel just falls flat. The beginning was good! And then it got weirder and more boring with every page. There were also a bunch of things I couldn't suspend my disbelief for. Ryan has a bad back, except when he's having strenuous sex and is being contorted into lots of submissive positions. Nik is shy and passive, except when channeling his ~inner dom~, at which point he's totally not responsible!!! Also how would Nik's smell change just because he talked a bit confidently? No. Not to mention, Nik is a total virgin but apparently is awesome at not just sex, but dominating somebody, on his first try? Somebody with massive trust issues like Nik is willing to move into a near stranger's house after one date? Nik can afford fancy leather collars and cock cages despite being dirt poor?
The therapy sessions near the end bothered me immensely, to the point where I had to skim them. The therapist sounded so unprofessional when he actually addressed Nik and Julian as two different people.
A lot if the stuff felt BDSM 101-y, especially the "it's important to communicate!! ! ! " parts. And, uh, what was the point even of bringing up the characters from the previous book? If I had been a fan of them, I would have been disappointed by how brief their non-cameo was; as somebody who hasn't read the other book, it just seemed like unnecessary padding.
Also, this might just be me, but I'm getting tired of female friends/relatives getting knocked up and then giving their baby to the oh-so deserving gay couple. I swear I've read three or four books with that subplot in the past few months. (Babies are not gifts.....)
There were one or two hot scenes, but the rest was too cringeworthy and unbelievable for me to enjoy.
In theory, Yogi and the Bear sounded like a novel I would enjoy. I love d/s, woobie characters with a tragic past, and subs who are bigger than their doms.
Sadly, this novel just falls flat. The beginning was good! And then it got weirder and more boring with every page. There were also a bunch of things I couldn't suspend my disbelief for. Ryan has a bad back, except when he's having strenuous sex and is being contorted into lots of submissive positions. Nik is shy and passive, except when channeling his ~inner dom~, at which point he's totally not responsible!!! Also how would Nik's smell change just because he talked a bit confidently? No. Not to mention, Nik is a total virgin but apparently is awesome at not just sex, but dominating somebody, on his first try? Somebody with massive trust issues like Nik is willing to move into a near stranger's house after one date? Nik can afford fancy leather collars and cock cages despite being dirt poor?
The therapy sessions near the end bothered me immensely, to the point where I had to skim them. The therapist sounded so unprofessional when he actually addressed Nik and Julian as two different people.
A lot if the stuff felt BDSM 101-y, especially the "it's important to communicate!! ! ! " parts. And, uh, what was the point even of bringing up the characters from the previous book? If I had been a fan of them, I would have been disappointed by how brief their non-cameo was; as somebody who hasn't read the other book, it just seemed like unnecessary padding.
Also, this might just be me, but I'm getting tired of female friends/relatives getting knocked up and then giving their baby to the oh-so deserving gay couple. I swear I've read three or four books with that subplot in the past few months. (Babies are not gifts.....)
There were one or two hot scenes, but the rest was too cringeworthy and unbelievable for me to enjoy.
April 17, 2015
I’ll admit there were a few things that worried me as I read through this book. Firstly, it’s not nearly as light and fun as the blurb implies. It does have funny moments, but there is definitely a darker depth that I wasn’t necessarily expecting. That didn’t worry me – I was just a little surprised. What I was less comfortable with was the D/s aspect. This has nothing to do with Ryan being bigger than Nik and everything to do with Ryan’s thoughts before they enter the bedroom. Apart from the occasional mention that he’d like to be tied down, there’s nothing submissive about Ryan’s fantasies, so I have to admit I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the way things went between them.
Especially when Julian – Nik’s dominant side – came out to play. I hated Julian. He’s so selfish, and though Ryan seems mostly okay with the way Julian pushes him, I hated the lack of balance in their playtime and the way Julian just took and took all the time. For a while there I was really worried that this was another potentially abusive relationship trying to pass itself off as a grand romance.
I really should have known better. Especially when they were given some excellent advice by the guy in the leather shop. Because Nik and Ryan’s relationship isn’t healthy. They’re swept away on the enthusiasm, forget to talk and things… well, you’ll see for yourself. And as off-track as things go, I was relieved because it was clear Nik wasn’t happy with himself and needed help. That he got it and that he wasn’t judged or belittled or made to feel ashamed was just brilliant.
However, the best thing in this book is Ryan. I absolutely adored him. I wouldn’t necessarily describe him as a gentle giant, because that implies that he’s beta and laid back and at peace with the world. Ryan might be submissive at times, but he also has an alpha side and is strong enough to not only take care of himself, but everyone he loves. Nor is he afraid to cut bad people out of his life – even those he’s related to. But he is gentle, especially with Nik, and he’s generous and sweet and sexy and excellent at shouldering responsibilities, and I hated when others took advantage of that. I liked Nik well enough, but it was Ryan I wanted to be happy, Ryan I really cared about and Ryan that I wanted to end up with everything he wanted.
This might not have been the playful sex-romp with a fun kinky side that I expected, but instead I was treated to a gorgeous character I could really care for and a thoughtful approach to BDSM that showed that even if people think they’re having fun trust is first and foremost the really important thing. It’s also much sexier when trust is involved.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Especially when Julian – Nik’s dominant side – came out to play. I hated Julian. He’s so selfish, and though Ryan seems mostly okay with the way Julian pushes him, I hated the lack of balance in their playtime and the way Julian just took and took all the time. For a while there I was really worried that this was another potentially abusive relationship trying to pass itself off as a grand romance.
I really should have known better. Especially when they were given some excellent advice by the guy in the leather shop. Because Nik and Ryan’s relationship isn’t healthy. They’re swept away on the enthusiasm, forget to talk and things… well, you’ll see for yourself. And as off-track as things go, I was relieved because it was clear Nik wasn’t happy with himself and needed help. That he got it and that he wasn’t judged or belittled or made to feel ashamed was just brilliant.
However, the best thing in this book is Ryan. I absolutely adored him. I wouldn’t necessarily describe him as a gentle giant, because that implies that he’s beta and laid back and at peace with the world. Ryan might be submissive at times, but he also has an alpha side and is strong enough to not only take care of himself, but everyone he loves. Nor is he afraid to cut bad people out of his life – even those he’s related to. But he is gentle, especially with Nik, and he’s generous and sweet and sexy and excellent at shouldering responsibilities, and I hated when others took advantage of that. I liked Nik well enough, but it was Ryan I wanted to be happy, Ryan I really cared about and Ryan that I wanted to end up with everything he wanted.
This might not have been the playful sex-romp with a fun kinky side that I expected, but instead I was treated to a gorgeous character I could really care for and a thoughtful approach to BDSM that showed that even if people think they’re having fun trust is first and foremost the really important thing. It’s also much sexier when trust is involved.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
January 16, 2016
2,5 stars
I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Ryan is a construction worker, who suffers chronic back pain after an accident at work. In desperation he tries out yoga to soothe the pain and meets yoga-instructor Nic.
I am not sure where to start with this review. I had great expectations for this book, it sounded delicious, and who doesn't love a big burly submissive guy? Unfortunately I ended up disappointed. The story started out strong, but went pear shaped along the way.
Ryan was lovely. I didn't understand why he had to be from a religious nut job family and I really did not - in any way, shape or form, see the relevance of the Rachael side-plot - that should have been edited out, if you asked me. But I liked him as a character and rooted for him, even if I had a few minor quips about his character, that didn't quite match up.
Unfortunately, that issue became even more pronounced when we meet Nic. Nic is all over the place, character wise, and I am sorry, but I never really bought in to the whole Nic / Julian debacle. And since that is one of the major plot points, it made it difficult for me to enjoy the story.
I never felt, that Nic's story added up or that he did, for that matter. None of it made sense!
I really disliked the meet, as - again - it made no sense. Imagine you had taken a vow of chastity, because you were assaulted and a bit afraid of your own urges as well. You are in a public bathroom, the power goes out and a guy you have never met - or even seen - asks you for 'a hand'... Wouldn't you go: "eeeew, pervy old git!" rather than go for it? So, yeah, the reasoning behind the bath room hook up didn't mesh in my head.
The writing over all was fine - if a bit too much telling and not enough showing, there were no major editing errors, and I would probably try this author again, to give him another chance, because there was a very interesting story in there, somewhere, even if it lacked a bit in execution.
The story was 2,5 stars, but I adored the title, so I gave it a 3 star rating ;-)
I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Ryan is a construction worker, who suffers chronic back pain after an accident at work. In desperation he tries out yoga to soothe the pain and meets yoga-instructor Nic.
I am not sure where to start with this review. I had great expectations for this book, it sounded delicious, and who doesn't love a big burly submissive guy? Unfortunately I ended up disappointed. The story started out strong, but went pear shaped along the way.
Ryan was lovely. I didn't understand why he had to be from a religious nut job family and I really did not - in any way, shape or form, see the relevance of the Rachael side-plot - that should have been edited out, if you asked me. But I liked him as a character and rooted for him, even if I had a few minor quips about his character, that didn't quite match up.
Unfortunately, that issue became even more pronounced when we meet Nic. Nic is all over the place, character wise, and I am sorry, but I never really bought in to the whole Nic / Julian debacle. And since that is one of the major plot points, it made it difficult for me to enjoy the story.
I never felt, that Nic's story added up or that he did, for that matter. None of it made sense!
I really disliked the meet, as - again - it made no sense. Imagine you had taken a vow of chastity, because you were assaulted and a bit afraid of your own urges as well. You are in a public bathroom, the power goes out and a guy you have never met - or even seen - asks you for 'a hand'... Wouldn't you go: "eeeew, pervy old git!" rather than go for it? So, yeah, the reasoning behind the bath room hook up didn't mesh in my head.
The writing over all was fine - if a bit too much telling and not enough showing, there were no major editing errors, and I would probably try this author again, to give him another chance, because there was a very interesting story in there, somewhere, even if it lacked a bit in execution.
The story was 2,5 stars, but I adored the title, so I gave it a 3 star rating ;-)
May 31, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Some time ago I bought a book by the author, The Mormon and the Dom, and was ultimately disapointed with it, because despite it engaging blurp there was somehting strangely clinical about it and I eventually ended up skimming and skipping and therefore never reviewed it.
Ygi and the Bear had a much more promising start; Ryan was a sweetheart and a relateable character and Nik seemed intriguing in a complex way and I was really looking forward to reading about the progress of their relationship, not to mention Nik's vow and how that was going to affect their sexual intimacy.
The first thing I didn't like was Ryan's sister with the baby situation. What grated me most about it was probably that it made me hate the sister as she was practically using emotional manipulation to make her brother take the baby. But I thought things might progress in an interesting way despite that.
Where the book took a turn to two-satr territory was the first sex scene when Nok and Ryan both knew who the other one was. The Dom part came out of nowhere and was quite frankly just plain weird, but also the vow part, which was the mre interesting plot point, was just mentioned and the looked over.
After that I felt disconnected with the characters, found Nik (and Julian) thoroughly unlikeable and just lost ineterest. Near the end, witht he incident with the safewording, there was a slight chance of things taking a turn for the better, but I felt Nik was somehow made a victim again, while it was clearly he who, even if it was due to his mental issues, fucked up.
On the positive side, I'm glad how thing turned out with the sister and the baby and the writing was solid, and there was Ryan who was one of the greatest MCs I've come across in a while, but I thought the plot could've been kept much simpler and the autor had enough skill that it would have still been entertaining.
Two stars from me.
My thanks to the author as well as the program for the book.
Some time ago I bought a book by the author, The Mormon and the Dom, and was ultimately disapointed with it, because despite it engaging blurp there was somehting strangely clinical about it and I eventually ended up skimming and skipping and therefore never reviewed it.
Ygi and the Bear had a much more promising start; Ryan was a sweetheart and a relateable character and Nik seemed intriguing in a complex way and I was really looking forward to reading about the progress of their relationship, not to mention Nik's vow and how that was going to affect their sexual intimacy.
The first thing I didn't like was Ryan's sister with the baby situation. What grated me most about it was probably that it made me hate the sister as she was practically using emotional manipulation to make her brother take the baby. But I thought things might progress in an interesting way despite that.
Where the book took a turn to two-satr territory was the first sex scene when Nok and Ryan both knew who the other one was. The Dom part came out of nowhere and was quite frankly just plain weird, but also the vow part, which was the mre interesting plot point, was just mentioned and the looked over.
After that I felt disconnected with the characters, found Nik (and Julian) thoroughly unlikeable and just lost ineterest. Near the end, witht he incident with the safewording, there was a slight chance of things taking a turn for the better, but I felt Nik was somehow made a victim again, while it was clearly he who, even if it was due to his mental issues, fucked up.
On the positive side, I'm glad how thing turned out with the sister and the baby and the writing was solid, and there was Ryan who was one of the greatest MCs I've come across in a while, but I thought the plot could've been kept much simpler and the autor had enough skill that it would have still been entertaining.
Two stars from me.
My thanks to the author as well as the program for the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2015
*A free copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
First off I just want to say how much I LOVE the title. It keeps making me smile and laugh. It probably even makes me more inclined to like this book. I really did enjoy Ryan. He was the BEST. I struggled more with Nik. Probably because of the whole Nik/Julian thing. I had a hard time with that aspect of the story, though as I read I let it go a little bit and understood where it was coming from and where it was going. Nik was so severely traumatize I'm happy the author had him start going to a shrink. Too often in books those experiences are just brushed off and "fixed" with love. It's refreshing to see. Also refreshing to allow Ryan and Nik to not feel guilty or bad about not loving their horrible parents. It's OKAY not to love toxic horrible people. That's a message that also doesn't get sent often enough. The BDSM was interesting because of the Julian aspect. I enjoyed it for the most part. I appreciate seeing two non-experts jump into that world. But they jump a little too deep too fast and everything ends up blowing up in their faces in a pretty spectacularly bad way. I could've done without the side plot with Rachael. It really serves no purpose. It doesn't drive story. It doesn't really add anything. I did like her, except the one scene, so there's that. I wish Ryan had stayed more of a focus. The only real focus he gets with all about the submissive side of him. It's like the only thing that matters. He had a pretty crappy upbringing but was fairly well adjusted so it was a bit of a non-issue only mattering when he needed to convince his sister to stay away from their parents. Which circles back around to my above point about Rachael. All in all though I really did like this book, there were just a few things here and there that kept me from really connecting and loving it.
First off I just want to say how much I LOVE the title. It keeps making me smile and laugh. It probably even makes me more inclined to like this book. I really did enjoy Ryan. He was the BEST. I struggled more with Nik. Probably because of the whole Nik/Julian thing. I had a hard time with that aspect of the story, though as I read I let it go a little bit and understood where it was coming from and where it was going. Nik was so severely traumatize I'm happy the author had him start going to a shrink. Too often in books those experiences are just brushed off and "fixed" with love. It's refreshing to see. Also refreshing to allow Ryan and Nik to not feel guilty or bad about not loving their horrible parents. It's OKAY not to love toxic horrible people. That's a message that also doesn't get sent often enough. The BDSM was interesting because of the Julian aspect. I enjoyed it for the most part. I appreciate seeing two non-experts jump into that world. But they jump a little too deep too fast and everything ends up blowing up in their faces in a pretty spectacularly bad way. I could've done without the side plot with Rachael. It really serves no purpose. It doesn't drive story. It doesn't really add anything. I did like her, except the one scene, so there's that. I wish Ryan had stayed more of a focus. The only real focus he gets with all about the submissive side of him. It's like the only thing that matters. He had a pretty crappy upbringing but was fairly well adjusted so it was a bit of a non-issue only mattering when he needed to convince his sister to stay away from their parents. Which circles back around to my above point about Rachael. All in all though I really did like this book, there were just a few things here and there that kept me from really connecting and loving it.
May 26, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let me say that I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, then about the 30 percent mark it took a rather awkward turn. I enjoyed the entire Alpha male wanting to submit to a smaller male. I really liked Ryan's easy going personality. The sideline plot of the sister was intriguing, and Nik began as an interesting person.
The thing that turned me off of the book first was the complete switch around on Nik/Julian's personality. First, he's a virgin and has limits, but bam, he drops those pretty quickly. Noob Dom, and then almost immediately, the first time having sex, he's also fantastic at both. The explanation wasn't all that believable, to me, either. It reads like a split personality, and made me very uncomfortable that it seems as if this is the reason why Nik/Julian wants the things he wants.
I loved the fact that the author included the couple going to see someone and checking into the safety aspects of BDSM, but then in the next paragraph, they are ignoring all advice and the 'rules' they made with one another.
The introduction of the counselor didn't seem to help at all for me, it just seemed to reiterate the fact that this behavior was OKAY and Nik/Julian wasn't a split personality. Between their bouts of marathon sex and BDSM rule breaking, I was disappointed to say the least in what began as a sweet, sexy story.
The writing was easy to read and I liked the author's style, so I may try more of their work out in the future, but this one story didn't really appeal to me after the beginning. It would have also been nice to know that this was the second story in a semi-series. I later found out that the books are classified as stand alones, but I think I might have enjoyed it more knowing about the first book as one couple introduced in this book was apparently the subject of another book previously written.
Let me say that I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, then about the 30 percent mark it took a rather awkward turn. I enjoyed the entire Alpha male wanting to submit to a smaller male. I really liked Ryan's easy going personality. The sideline plot of the sister was intriguing, and Nik began as an interesting person.
The thing that turned me off of the book first was the complete switch around on Nik/Julian's personality. First, he's a virgin and has limits, but bam, he drops those pretty quickly. Noob Dom, and then almost immediately, the first time having sex, he's also fantastic at both. The explanation wasn't all that believable, to me, either. It reads like a split personality, and made me very uncomfortable that it seems as if this is the reason why Nik/Julian wants the things he wants.
I loved the fact that the author included the couple going to see someone and checking into the safety aspects of BDSM, but then in the next paragraph, they are ignoring all advice and the 'rules' they made with one another.
The introduction of the counselor didn't seem to help at all for me, it just seemed to reiterate the fact that this behavior was OKAY and Nik/Julian wasn't a split personality. Between their bouts of marathon sex and BDSM rule breaking, I was disappointed to say the least in what began as a sweet, sexy story.
The writing was easy to read and I liked the author's style, so I may try more of their work out in the future, but this one story didn't really appeal to me after the beginning. It would have also been nice to know that this was the second story in a semi-series. I later found out that the books are classified as stand alones, but I think I might have enjoyed it more knowing about the first book as one couple introduced in this book was apparently the subject of another book previously written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2015
(This book was received free via the Goodreads Don't Buy My Love review program in return for an honest review.
4.5 stars
I absolutely adore Nix Knox's books and this one is no exception. Ryan's attempts to ease his back pain following a fall brings him to a New Age Center to try out yoga. Here he meets Nik, in the dark, a bizarre interaction followed by immmediate misunderstandings. But feathers are smoothed and Ryan takes on a protective role for a boy crushed by a horrible family life and current bad roommate situation.
This was a well written book about two men finding one another under interesting circumstances, seeing where it would go, discovering kinks and all that entails. There's the falling apart and the piecing back together. A mutual bonding together of themselves: their minds, their bodies and their relationship.
The only drawback I found was there was a bit of repetition on the thought processes of the main characters. Sometimes the feelings were expressed verbatim and slowed the story down. Still, it was only enough for me to knock this story down a mere verbal half-star.
4.5 stars
I absolutely adore Nix Knox's books and this one is no exception. Ryan's attempts to ease his back pain following a fall brings him to a New Age Center to try out yoga. Here he meets Nik, in the dark, a bizarre interaction followed by immmediate misunderstandings. But feathers are smoothed and Ryan takes on a protective role for a boy crushed by a horrible family life and current bad roommate situation.
This was a well written book about two men finding one another under interesting circumstances, seeing where it would go, discovering kinks and all that entails. There's the falling apart and the piecing back together. A mutual bonding together of themselves: their minds, their bodies and their relationship.
The only drawback I found was there was a bit of repetition on the thought processes of the main characters. Sometimes the feelings were expressed verbatim and slowed the story down. Still, it was only enough for me to knock this story down a mere verbal half-star.
September 16, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review...
2.75 Stars...first book I've read from this author.
Love the title and cover on this one.
Eh...I didn't really feel these guys. Ryan is still in debilitating pain after a construction accident & one BJ turns it all around for him? I do not get this at all. Nik is scared and acting like a brat. In my opinion neither of these guys act to their written personalities.
The BDSM aspects didn't feel real at all... more like a plot device just to have it in there than a healthy part of a consensually kinky relationship.
The whole sister subplot is a waaaaay unnecessary and does nothing for this story other than muck it up and give us somebody to not like for their judgy attitude.
While I loved the premise of kinky relationship between a hot construction worker and (bendy!)yoga instructor I don't feel it followed through on the promise.
I will try other books by this author hoping to like them better as this one just missed on a few levels
2.75 Stars...first book I've read from this author.
Love the title and cover on this one.
Eh...I didn't really feel these guys. Ryan is still in debilitating pain after a construction accident & one BJ turns it all around for him? I do not get this at all. Nik is scared and acting like a brat. In my opinion neither of these guys act to their written personalities.
The BDSM aspects didn't feel real at all... more like a plot device just to have it in there than a healthy part of a consensually kinky relationship.
The whole sister subplot is a waaaaay unnecessary and does nothing for this story other than muck it up and give us somebody to not like for their judgy attitude.
While I loved the premise of kinky relationship between a hot construction worker and (bendy!)yoga instructor I don't feel it followed through on the promise.
I will try other books by this author hoping to like them better as this one just missed on a few levels
May 13, 2015
I received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book from Nix Knox(love the name). And I really liked the theme of this story. Yoga instructor and the construction worker. The smaller guy being the Dom. I love that. What I didn't like was the time line. Everything happened so fast, it was almost unbelievable. And Ryan, He was too quick to forgive everything. That didn't seem real to me. But that's it. I liked everything else. I especially liked Nik/Julien and his struggle with his mental and emotional health. The relationship progressed pretty fast , but I liked these two together. Especially when Ryan was mad/scared and actually had feelings other than protect. And finally I liked that Nik was able to work out his issues.
The writing and story were both good. So 3.5 stars rounded up. And I'll definitely check out more from this author.
This was my first book from Nix Knox(love the name). And I really liked the theme of this story. Yoga instructor and the construction worker. The smaller guy being the Dom. I love that. What I didn't like was the time line. Everything happened so fast, it was almost unbelievable. And Ryan, He was too quick to forgive everything. That didn't seem real to me. But that's it. I liked everything else. I especially liked Nik/Julien and his struggle with his mental and emotional health. The relationship progressed pretty fast , but I liked these two together. Especially when Ryan was mad/scared and actually had feelings other than protect. And finally I liked that Nik was able to work out his issues.
The writing and story were both good. So 3.5 stars rounded up. And I'll definitely check out more from this author.
July 31, 2016
**A free copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
I really enjoyed this book. I loved both Nik and Ryan. I have always had a thing for physically smaller Doms in my MM romances. You don't see that too often. So it's always a treat when I stumble across that in a book. I am also a sucker for humor and this book delivered that. It was funny but it was also serious when it needed to be. Adding just that small amount of angst to balance it all out. The only thing I question is the whole sister side story. I wasn't sure exactly what that was supposed to bring to the table. The book would have been just fine without her involvement. Other than that I thought it was great! I would definitely recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved both Nik and Ryan. I have always had a thing for physically smaller Doms in my MM romances. You don't see that too often. So it's always a treat when I stumble across that in a book. I am also a sucker for humor and this book delivered that. It was funny but it was also serious when it needed to be. Adding just that small amount of angst to balance it all out. The only thing I question is the whole sister side story. I wasn't sure exactly what that was supposed to bring to the table. The book would have been just fine without her involvement. Other than that I thought it was great! I would definitely recommend this book.
July 12, 2015
This book was given to me free by the author in exchange for an unbiased review.
A sexual encounter in a bathroom leads Nik and Ryan on a path to a relationship.
Ryan was advised to take up yoga to help his chronic back pain. Nik is his instructor. The two start out on a relationship which has more than a few bumps along the way.
What I liked about this book is that the two characters go blindly into a BDSM relationship they dont follow advice they were given and this leads to a serious incident.
I love that they magically didnt know everything there was to know about BDSM, that they learned together, that the incident happened where trust was shattered. It made them human.
I think I would have liked Nik to visit his parents instead of leaving it how it was.
An enjoyable read.
A sexual encounter in a bathroom leads Nik and Ryan on a path to a relationship.
Ryan was advised to take up yoga to help his chronic back pain. Nik is his instructor. The two start out on a relationship which has more than a few bumps along the way.
What I liked about this book is that the two characters go blindly into a BDSM relationship they dont follow advice they were given and this leads to a serious incident.
I love that they magically didnt know everything there was to know about BDSM, that they learned together, that the incident happened where trust was shattered. It made them human.
I think I would have liked Nik to visit his parents instead of leaving it how it was.
An enjoyable read.
December 8, 2015
I enjoyed this read about a construction worker with an injured back, who happens to be a gay guy, his gay yoga instructor and his strong-minded sister.
Given the story is set in Utah and the protagonist's parents have disowned him, and he's firmly closeted, I was surprised that first, he hasn't moved somewhere more tolerant, and second, that he throws out casual invitations to unknown guys in restrooms. But it's not my scene, so I'm guessing.
However I have occasionally had a bad back, and I haven't then had the same thing on my mind every minute that this builder does.
The characters are pleasant and appealing, with life and humour. Gay people would probably rate the tale more highly.
Given the story is set in Utah and the protagonist's parents have disowned him, and he's firmly closeted, I was surprised that first, he hasn't moved somewhere more tolerant, and second, that he throws out casual invitations to unknown guys in restrooms. But it's not my scene, so I'm guessing.
However I have occasionally had a bad back, and I haven't then had the same thing on my mind every minute that this builder does.
The characters are pleasant and appealing, with life and humour. Gay people would probably rate the tale more highly.
May 19, 2015
Busting stereotypes is not something Ryan actively goes looking for, he is just a man who knows what he wants, and is willing to risk his heart to get it. His character is so open and honest about everything, it is like Nik said…how can you not love him? Nik, on the other hand, is a messy bundle of contradictions, most of which he does not understand himself. Ryan is so understanding and accepting with Nik, showing just why he is so special, which makes this story such a great read.
Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
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