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Drawing Closer
Edited version of the original, now available online.
Charles is a professor, an expatriate Brit, and a man with a past. He's put that aside, living the peaceful life he thinks he needs. He figures he's happy.
Until he meets Gray Collins, that is. Persistent, stubborn, and hot, Gray turns Charles's world upside down and brings him a future he never expected, with links to a past he's tried to forget.
Charles is a professor, an expatriate Brit, and a man with a past. He's put that aside, living the peaceful life he thinks he needs. He figures he's happy.
Until he meets Gray Collins, that is. Persistent, stubborn, and hot, Gray turns Charles's world upside down and brings him a future he never expected, with links to a past he's tried to forget.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2007
1 person is currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Jane Davitt
64 books480 followersRetired from pro writing, pretty much. Any books where the rights are with me I've put up at A03, along with all my fic, which I'm still writing.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
[Free reads and my fanfic are here:
Jane Davitt at AO3]
Thank you to all who read my books. It meant a lot.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 31, 2013
Gray is a determined young man. Self-confident in what he can do, he has no problem chasing down what he wants. What he wants is Charles.
Charles has been hiding in his self-imposed prison after fleeing a painful past. Feeling aged, he rebuffs Gray until chased down. The gazelle falls to the cheetah.
Davitt explores power dynamics in relationships and this story is no different. In fact, it is quite lovely and focuses on D/s more than pomp and circumstance. Charles unveils a new world to Gray who takes one look and dives in head first. Much to the dismay of a couple people. In addition, the secondary characters of both Drew and Carl were funny and well done. A nice treat.
Favorite quote:
Charles has been hiding in his self-imposed prison after fleeing a painful past. Feeling aged, he rebuffs Gray until chased down. The gazelle falls to the cheetah.
Davitt explores power dynamics in relationships and this story is no different. In fact, it is quite lovely and focuses on D/s more than pomp and circumstance. Charles unveils a new world to Gray who takes one look and dives in head first. Much to the dismay of a couple people. In addition, the secondary characters of both Drew and Carl were funny and well done. A nice treat.
""Did you just -- fuck, Carl, fuck you--" Gray came hard, shooting messily over his hand and belly, Carl's hand warm against his balls, tickling him mercilessly.--I like Carl; he's hysterical.
"Young Lancelot slays the dragon and brings you the treasure and you don't even give him a pity fuck by way of thank you?"--And I like Drew, too.
Favorite quote:
Because if there weren't any limits when it came to people like Carl getting close, he made up for that by loathing it when his space was invaded by someone he didn't know, or didn't like.
July 22, 2014
3.5 stars
This was a likable story about Charles, a British college professor now living in America and artist Gray, who meet when Gray takes a night school course Charles is teaching. While the two are attracted to each other, Gray takes the initiative and is persistent, while Charles tries to push him away claiming their 10 year age difference, former student-teacher relationship and that Charles will be no good for Gray. Charles finally relents and as they start seeing each other Charles realizes Gray has submissive tendencies that he wants to explore. While Charles has played both Sub and Dom in the past, he has reasons to be unwilling to push with Gray. In the meantime, Gray's best friend Carl has some misgivings about this new relationship, especially when he discovers the manner in which Gray and Charles play.
The story is character and dialogue driven. Most of the BDSM scenes take place off the page. There are some communication issues and misunderstandings between the two men, but there are a lot of open discussions as they try to navigate Gray's introduction to a D/s relationship. A good read, that would be perfect for those trying to find a light, introductory BDSM read.
This was a likable story about Charles, a British college professor now living in America and artist Gray, who meet when Gray takes a night school course Charles is teaching. While the two are attracted to each other, Gray takes the initiative and is persistent, while Charles tries to push him away claiming their 10 year age difference, former student-teacher relationship and that Charles will be no good for Gray. Charles finally relents and as they start seeing each other Charles realizes Gray has submissive tendencies that he wants to explore. While Charles has played both Sub and Dom in the past, he has reasons to be unwilling to push with Gray. In the meantime, Gray's best friend Carl has some misgivings about this new relationship, especially when he discovers the manner in which Gray and Charles play.
The story is character and dialogue driven. Most of the BDSM scenes take place off the page. There are some communication issues and misunderstandings between the two men, but there are a lot of open discussions as they try to navigate Gray's introduction to a D/s relationship. A good read, that would be perfect for those trying to find a light, introductory BDSM read.
June 16, 2012
This totally falls into the category of one of my favorite genres: Better Living Through Bondage. I loved the way the author defines the "rules" of the D/s dynamic between Charles and Gray - it's totally unique to them, and it's what works for them within the context of their developing relationship. There are mistakes, and hurt feelings, and a fair bit of angst, but they treat each other with respect, and recognize that the Dom/sub aspect of their relationship fills a need for both of them.
I did find aspects of Charles and Gray a bit frustrating - I thought it odd that for a character that was described as tenaciously hunting down literary references for his college class, Gray stayed almost deliberately ignorant of BDSM culture - Charles wound up explaining some very basic concepts that Gray would have understood if he had done any research at all. And Charles crossed the line between "damaged hero" and "drama queen" a few times....
But the story just pulled me in and kept me riveted till my poor eyeballs were drying out from staring at the computer screen because I read it in one sitting - I kept thinking "I'll transfer this over to my Nook... after the next chapter. Ok, no, the NEXT chapter..." and so on. Till I hit the last page. The writing is wonderful; creative and intriguing, good dialogue and scene setting. Definitely going on my Read Again list!
I did find aspects of Charles and Gray a bit frustrating - I thought it odd that for a character that was described as tenaciously hunting down literary references for his college class, Gray stayed almost deliberately ignorant of BDSM culture - Charles wound up explaining some very basic concepts that Gray would have understood if he had done any research at all. And Charles crossed the line between "damaged hero" and "drama queen" a few times....
But the story just pulled me in and kept me riveted till my poor eyeballs were drying out from staring at the computer screen because I read it in one sitting - I kept thinking "I'll transfer this over to my Nook... after the next chapter. Ok, no, the NEXT chapter..." and so on. Till I hit the last page. The writing is wonderful; creative and intriguing, good dialogue and scene setting. Definitely going on my Read Again list!
September 13, 2017
★★★☆☆½ ~ 3.5 Stars
Gray plotted his way into Charles' Friday night class to get closer to him and was so persistent he eventually wore Charles down. Charles was just as attracted to Gray, but didn't want to be caught because he had secrets and desires that he didn't feel he could share with anyone else.
Except Gray liked Charles' desires and wanted more.
The two side characters Drew and Carl were fun and added much to the story.
Gray plotted his way into Charles' Friday night class to get closer to him and was so persistent he eventually wore Charles down. Charles was just as attracted to Gray, but didn't want to be caught because he had secrets and desires that he didn't feel he could share with anyone else.
Except Gray liked Charles' desires and wanted more.
The two side characters Drew and Carl were fun and added much to the story.
October 2, 2013
So many of my personal peeves assuaged in here.
May 7, 2009
Charles is a college professor teaching an 8 week non credit summer course on Shakespeare. Gray is an artist and one of his students. After the final class Gray propositions Charles only to be turned down. Thus begins the seduction.
I liked this book but it did have its share of problems.
To begin with, the opening scene is all about physical attraction. We're told a few times that Gray and Charles had this amazing intellectual connection but we never actually see it. The lack of emotional connection made it difficult to get into at first. An emotional connection definitely forms over the course of the book, but it isn't as present in the beginning as I would have liked it to be.
Charles also has a lot of angst about the age difference. I'll certainly admit there's often a maturity gap between 23 and 33, but Charles was acting more like he's 60 and as someone who's closer to 30 than 20 I found that annoying.
But I do like the progression of the relationship, even if it would be nice if Charles could get over himself more. It's actually quite sweet.
Spoiler
So Charles "deep dark secret" is that he's into BDSM. Which is fine and I'll admit not vanilla but I also think it's not as horrible a secret as Charles thinks it is.
Charles is Gray's introduction and of course he takes to it well. The problem is that Charles doesn't really educate Gray about the scene, he educates Gray about Charles' own preferences. Consequently even by the end of the book Gray is shockingly ignorant of some basic (and common sense) things like you shouldn't get involved in that type of play when one of the partners (especially the dominant partner) is angry. It's Charles' duty to educate Gray but Gray also has some responsibility to do some research on his own. There are plenty of books and DVDs out there, to say nothing of the Internet.
Also, Charles is afraid that Gray will want to do more extreme things than he's comfortable with, but they don't really talk about it and it never goes anywhere. When Charles tries to talk about it, it's in the middle of sex, which is really not the time.
I liked this book but it did have its share of problems.
To begin with, the opening scene is all about physical attraction. We're told a few times that Gray and Charles had this amazing intellectual connection but we never actually see it. The lack of emotional connection made it difficult to get into at first. An emotional connection definitely forms over the course of the book, but it isn't as present in the beginning as I would have liked it to be.
Charles also has a lot of angst about the age difference. I'll certainly admit there's often a maturity gap between 23 and 33, but Charles was acting more like he's 60 and as someone who's closer to 30 than 20 I found that annoying.
But I do like the progression of the relationship, even if it would be nice if Charles could get over himself more. It's actually quite sweet.
Spoiler
So Charles "deep dark secret" is that he's into BDSM. Which is fine and I'll admit not vanilla but I also think it's not as horrible a secret as Charles thinks it is.
Charles is Gray's introduction and of course he takes to it well. The problem is that Charles doesn't really educate Gray about the scene, he educates Gray about Charles' own preferences. Consequently even by the end of the book Gray is shockingly ignorant of some basic (and common sense) things like you shouldn't get involved in that type of play when one of the partners (especially the dominant partner) is angry. It's Charles' duty to educate Gray but Gray also has some responsibility to do some research on his own. There are plenty of books and DVDs out there, to say nothing of the Internet.
Also, Charles is afraid that Gray will want to do more extreme things than he's comfortable with, but they don't really talk about it and it never goes anywhere. When Charles tries to talk about it, it's in the middle of sex, which is really not the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 24, 2009When love doesn't accept a no.
Gray is a 23 years old artist who feels an immediate attraction for Charles, a 31 years old literature professor. Gray is young and full of life, he also has just accepted his homosexuality. Charles instead is quite and aware of his own sexuality: he doesn't have a present lover, but if he wants sex, he knows where find it and absolutely doesn't want a youger lover, maybe a little to easily influenced by an older man.
But Gray is very insistent, and no matter what Charles says, he wants Charles and wants everything Charles wants, also the pleasure/pain game that Charles prefers.
I like very much the character of Gray: he is open and outspoken, he holds nothing of what he feels or what he wants. Charles instead is closed and brooding, but, fortunately, he doesn't deny his feelings and desires, even if he is dragged to admit them.
I love the atmosphere of this novel: it's warm and cosy, the feelings seep into you and leave you with a peaceful sensation after turn over the last page.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603701397/?...
Gray is a 23 years old artist who feels an immediate attraction for Charles, a 31 years old literature professor. Gray is young and full of life, he also has just accepted his homosexuality. Charles instead is quite and aware of his own sexuality: he doesn't have a present lover, but if he wants sex, he knows where find it and absolutely doesn't want a youger lover, maybe a little to easily influenced by an older man.
But Gray is very insistent, and no matter what Charles says, he wants Charles and wants everything Charles wants, also the pleasure/pain game that Charles prefers.
I like very much the character of Gray: he is open and outspoken, he holds nothing of what he feels or what he wants. Charles instead is closed and brooding, but, fortunately, he doesn't deny his feelings and desires, even if he is dragged to admit them.
I love the atmosphere of this novel: it's warm and cosy, the feelings seep into you and leave you with a peaceful sensation after turn over the last page.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603701397/?...
April 18, 2011
Good m/m romance about a professor who wants to resist a slightly younger painter because he doesn't believe the painter could be attracted to the D/s lifestyle.
March 8, 2019
wow, ok, i don't know
the parts that i liked i really LOVED and the parts that i didn't like i freaking HATED so what should i do with this?
the thing is everything was fine until the last conflict bit. i had an issue with the way they got together. it made the beginning kinda slow and a bit boring considering the fact that we know they ARE getting together but the reason was somewhat legit so it was okay in the end.
then when we found out about Charles' past i was feeling like i was missing out on a more interesting book cause i wanted more but oh well.
i liked the sex. but i have an issue with the fact that once they did get together sex is basically the only thing we see and that gave me an impression that sex was the only thing they did (which is not true cause we do have some brief mentions of hey we went to Beatrice's birthday, yay us). but since it had a point and was actually interesting and enjoyable to read i'm not gonna complain about that.
then we get to an issue of Gray wanting to explore more and Charles being like 'nah, i don't wanna but i'm not gonna tell Gray that i don't wanna cause reasons'. which is like fine, whatever. as far as conflicts go this actually is not that bad and could have been interesting (and oh how i wish this was THE conflict of this book), i was looking forward to it but all we got was them having a sex scene where Gray gets pissed off and leaves and then the next scene where they make up in, you guessed it, sex scene. and it's never talked about again and the issue never comes up in a narrative again. it's just dropped. well ok then, sure
and that leaves us with the main conflict. i'm not gonna say what it was exactly but Gray thinks Charles did smth really bad. it seems Charles is the only one who could have done it. we, as a reader, have like a 99% confidence that no, he didn't do it though it does seem like he is only one who could. to be fair it is actually bad. so Gray is pissed off and he accuses Charles of it. and so we have this scene:
and THIS is a great conflict. we have a relationship that relies on trust very much. you could arguably say that trust is the main focus of it. so the fact that Gray has an ability to believe Charles betraying his trust like that and then not trusting him when he says he didn't is basically an end to the relationship they had no matter what happens next. this is a solid issue and i was so pleased because this is not smth i expect from a smutty romance book. and you know what? i should have known better
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED LEAVE NOW
so naturally Gray finds out the truth and goes to reconcile with Charles and get back together and have sex because "it's been so long and i can finally have sex with him since he wasn't the one who did it" which is like wow, really now?
so we get to a conversation of "i'm sorry" and i sit there rolling my eyes on the verge of being pissed off cause it's not smth you can mend with i'm sorry and then the book tricks me cause Charles says:
and i was like yes! this! thank you!! this is what i'm talking about!! hear that, Gray? you fucked up! now go away and suffer the consequences.
but no, two paragraphs later they have sex and everything is great in the world and fuck this shit.
funny thing is i really did like them together but i think the right thing would have been for them not to end up together in the end (or have like a "[number] years later kinda epilogue where they finally do). i would have probably given a book five stars then. like, imagine that. it would have been so heartbreaking but... ugh, whatever.
it just goes to show that i did like the book a lot. it was so good i wanted it to be great.
the parts that i liked i really LOVED and the parts that i didn't like i freaking HATED so what should i do with this?
the thing is everything was fine until the last conflict bit. i had an issue with the way they got together. it made the beginning kinda slow and a bit boring considering the fact that we know they ARE getting together but the reason was somewhat legit so it was okay in the end.
then when we found out about Charles' past i was feeling like i was missing out on a more interesting book cause i wanted more but oh well.
i liked the sex. but i have an issue with the fact that once they did get together sex is basically the only thing we see and that gave me an impression that sex was the only thing they did (which is not true cause we do have some brief mentions of hey we went to Beatrice's birthday, yay us). but since it had a point and was actually interesting and enjoyable to read i'm not gonna complain about that.
then we get to an issue of Gray wanting to explore more and Charles being like 'nah, i don't wanna but i'm not gonna tell Gray that i don't wanna cause reasons'. which is like fine, whatever. as far as conflicts go this actually is not that bad and could have been interesting (and oh how i wish this was THE conflict of this book), i was looking forward to it but all we got was them having a sex scene where Gray gets pissed off and leaves and then the next scene where they make up in, you guessed it, sex scene. and it's never talked about again and the issue never comes up in a narrative again. it's just dropped. well ok then, sure
and that leaves us with the main conflict. i'm not gonna say what it was exactly but Gray thinks Charles did smth really bad. it seems Charles is the only one who could have done it. we, as a reader, have like a 99% confidence that no, he didn't do it though it does seem like he is only one who could. to be fair it is actually bad. so Gray is pissed off and he accuses Charles of it. and so we have this scene:
"I did not [do it]." Charles faced Gray. "I give you my word."
"And I don't believe you." Gray's mouth set stubbornly.
and THIS is a great conflict. we have a relationship that relies on trust very much. you could arguably say that trust is the main focus of it. so the fact that Gray has an ability to believe Charles betraying his trust like that and then not trusting him when he says he didn't is basically an end to the relationship they had no matter what happens next. this is a solid issue and i was so pleased because this is not smth i expect from a smutty romance book. and you know what? i should have known better
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED LEAVE NOW
so naturally Gray finds out the truth and goes to reconcile with Charles and get back together and have sex because "it's been so long and i can finally have sex with him since he wasn't the one who did it" which is like wow, really now?
so we get to a conversation of "i'm sorry" and i sit there rolling my eyes on the verge of being pissed off cause it's not smth you can mend with i'm sorry and then the book tricks me cause Charles says:
"We can't just paper over what happened. The bottom line is that you didn't trust me. Not even when I gave you my word. The relationship we have -- had -- was based on trust; it was at the heart of it. Not just the usual expectation that we'd be faithful -- every relationship has that; I'm talking about what we do. I can't go back to that if I'm not sure -- and I'm not. Not now. And I think we both know it wouldn't work between us without that element."
and i was like yes! this! thank you!! this is what i'm talking about!! hear that, Gray? you fucked up! now go away and suffer the consequences.
but no, two paragraphs later they have sex and everything is great in the world and fuck this shit.
funny thing is i really did like them together but i think the right thing would have been for them not to end up together in the end (or have like a "[number] years later kinda epilogue where they finally do). i would have probably given a book five stars then. like, imagine that. it would have been so heartbreaking but... ugh, whatever.
it just goes to show that i did like the book a lot. it was so good i wanted it to be great.
September 29, 2017
I've never felt that this was a romance per se, more like 2 guys who lust for each other and discover the pleasure of BDSM. I am not exactly a fan of BDSM, but I do like reading about spanking, restraining, edging and that sort of light stuffs. However, the BDSM in this story was never a turn on for me. I don't know if it was because there wasn't any passion, there was no romance, and I never liked the characters: Charles was too weird and too annoying with the whole "I am a lot older than you" (it was 9 years only) and Gray was pushy but in a wimpy way. And the whole thing with Carl was creepy and boring at the same time. Too bad, this book wasn't for me :(
June 6, 2013
This is the first book by this author I have read. I really liked it until the end. I couldn't put it down after I read the free excerpt off of Amazon. It was refreshing. I really liked how the relationship started off. The pull and attraction between the two main characters.
Charles is the older of the two. He is a professor and has a pretty set routine. He has a few friends and is afraid of trying to pursue a romantic relationship with anyone(just hasn't meet anyone who was worth it yet) then he meets Gray, a soon to be ex student of his. Gray is younger and alluring. He has fantasies about Gray and refuses to try to accept it. He uses every excuse out of the book. He is an (ex) student, he is to much younger, he doesn't think he is best for Gray, etc.
Gray, a painter, is a younger than Charles and is very attracted to Charles and decides to hit on Charles very strongly on the last day of class. It is obvious that Charles is turned on by him but doesn't further it. Gray is very determined and continues to pursue Charles.
I think my favorite part of the book is when Charles(accepts he wants Gray)and chases Gray down the street. Even afterwards, they need to work on their relationship and what they expect from each other. Will they be willing to push each other boundaries to keep their relationship going or will a simple mistrust/misunderstanding, be their end?
I really liked it until the end. It wasn't that the end was bad, it was just an okay ending. I just would have like a little bit more.
Charles is the older of the two. He is a professor and has a pretty set routine. He has a few friends and is afraid of trying to pursue a romantic relationship with anyone(just hasn't meet anyone who was worth it yet) then he meets Gray, a soon to be ex student of his. Gray is younger and alluring. He has fantasies about Gray and refuses to try to accept it. He uses every excuse out of the book. He is an (ex) student, he is to much younger, he doesn't think he is best for Gray, etc.
Gray, a painter, is a younger than Charles and is very attracted to Charles and decides to hit on Charles very strongly on the last day of class. It is obvious that Charles is turned on by him but doesn't further it. Gray is very determined and continues to pursue Charles.
I think my favorite part of the book is when Charles(accepts he wants Gray)and chases Gray down the street. Even afterwards, they need to work on their relationship and what they expect from each other. Will they be willing to push each other boundaries to keep their relationship going or will a simple mistrust/misunderstanding, be their end?
I really liked it until the end. It wasn't that the end was bad, it was just an okay ending. I just would have like a little bit more.
October 9, 2013
Torquere freebie 12.9.13
I’ve enjoyed a lot of this author's work and this was another good solid read. Charles is a Brit abroad, working as an English professor, having left England after a scandal. Gray is a young artist who has first seen Charles when working for his grandmother, Charles’ neighbour. He enrols in one of Charles' classes, but doesn’t make a move until after the course has ended. Charles turns him down flat, but there is something between them and eventually Charles gives in to his feelings. Charles enjoys dominating his partners, but is wary of getting involved in a D/s relationship again – and Gray is totally inexperienced but responds to Charles gentle domination. Their relationship is tested by Gray’s friend Carl, but does have a happy ending. There is no club BDSM, no heavy scenes – it’s a very well written story with a bit of kink, rather than kink being the story.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of this author's work and this was another good solid read. Charles is a Brit abroad, working as an English professor, having left England after a scandal. Gray is a young artist who has first seen Charles when working for his grandmother, Charles’ neighbour. He enrols in one of Charles' classes, but doesn’t make a move until after the course has ended. Charles turns him down flat, but there is something between them and eventually Charles gives in to his feelings. Charles enjoys dominating his partners, but is wary of getting involved in a D/s relationship again – and Gray is totally inexperienced but responds to Charles gentle domination. Their relationship is tested by Gray’s friend Carl, but does have a happy ending. There is no club BDSM, no heavy scenes – it’s a very well written story with a bit of kink, rather than kink being the story.
January 6, 2014
I was really hoping not to give such a low rating barely in the beginning of the new reading year, but...can't be helped. I am really not inclined to review a 1 star book, but I will just say that I tagged this as BDSM because there were supposed to be elements of it. It was SO. BADLY. DONE! The kink was off, the story was all over the place, Charles was an annoying character, always assuming what's best for Gray and having this almost shameful attitude towards his dominant tendencies, implying that he'll corrupt Gray with his perversion. Hint, hint, 50 shades of grey, anyone? Not to be a hypocrite,I gave a 5 star rating to that series because I was completely ignorant and enjoyed the fairy tale at the time, but now I would like to think I know better. So yeah, I really, really don't recommend this to anyone.
PS. Drew was really funny and his banter with Charles was quite enjoyable.
PS. Drew was really funny and his banter with Charles was quite enjoyable.
November 17, 2015
Very odd bdsm-themed romance between Charles, an older professor and Gray (love the name) a student who has taken Charles' course on Shakespeare. The relationship begins after Gray completes the course. Generally speaking, I enjoy books where two MCs find that their respective kinks mesh. Gray's awakening to kink was something to behold. My problem is that I didn't feel the romance or connection between them. I read romance for a reason and I need to feel the love. Gotta feel that "can't live without you" moment. It was almost clinical in nature. And the strange situation with the way things with Carl ended had me scratching my head. Charles' friend Drew was a hoot and a welcome diversion. Still love Jane Davitt's brand of kink, though. Just didn't feel the connection with the MCs.
November 28, 2010
This one fell completely flat for me and I couldn't continue even though I generally enjoy these teacher-student romances. I was surprised at my lack of enjoyment as a previous Davitt book, Truthful Change, was a very good read. That was a collaboration with Alexa Snow, though, so I'm not sure if that made a difference. I have another Davitt-Snow book, Bound & Determined which I had read a few pages when it first came out and did not continue. I'll pick it up again when I'm in the mood for a BDSM theme and see if it's the collaborative effort that I like.
January 11, 2017
My comments generally echo Jenre's review.
I got this during Torquere's giveaway last year and didn't know what to expect really, but was engrossed in the story from fairly early on.
Gray is the confident yet unsure young man who becomes enamoured of the slightly older Charles - British, English Literature lecturer, sofisticated yet also vulnerable.
I did feel the tension they each had - Gray wanting to learn more about his submissive tendancies but unsure of what he is wanting, Charles wanting Gray but reticent about going down that path with him.
Perhapsdidn't get a full feel for why Charles held back so much. And Carl's mixed messages really were mixed!
Liked it a lot.
I got this during Torquere's giveaway last year and didn't know what to expect really, but was engrossed in the story from fairly early on.
Gray is the confident yet unsure young man who becomes enamoured of the slightly older Charles - British, English Literature lecturer, sofisticated yet also vulnerable.
I did feel the tension they each had - Gray wanting to learn more about his submissive tendancies but unsure of what he is wanting, Charles wanting Gray but reticent about going down that path with him.
Perhapsdidn't get a full feel for why Charles held back so much. And Carl's mixed messages really were mixed!
Liked it a lot.
November 12, 2011
The characters are likeable, pretty realistic to their backstory. The plot was interesting and even exciting at times, as Gray discovered a whole new part of himself at Charles expert hands. But...I found the conflict and the 'big misunderstanding' were resolved way too easily.
After reading other books by this author, I know there are much better ones from her. For example, Hourglass.
After reading other books by this author, I know there are much better ones from her. For example, Hourglass.
December 14, 2018
To me this is the perfect kind of book. Charles and Gray connect on a deep level, but the relationship grows slowly throughout the story. Charles is trying to hide his true needs when he meets Gray, but Gray pushes the relationship before he realizes how far the Charles will take him. There is a little angst and a small misunderstanding and a lovely HEA. This book hits it on all levels!
August 12, 2013
Jane Davitt is simply a gem when it comes to her BDSM writings. It is not wildly unrealistic and it is understated. If you aren't sure about BDSM or kink, this book is really gentle, and doesn't contain anything that is remotely extreme or salacious.
June 11, 2014
4.5. Artist, Gray, seduces his adult education literature teacher and discovers a whole new world of kink. Charles (okay, Charles, 32 is NOT old!!)left England after a humiliating scandal and is nervous of a new relationship.
July 9, 2014
Rating 3.75
March 6, 2015
I really liked this one, better than a couple of hers I've read that seem more well-known. I'll be looking for more solo work written by her now, I'm curious.
Want to read
July 1, 2018Want to read revised edition.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews