Healing Hand

Perfect Hands #4

by Nora Phoenix

Can a broken boy and an unconventional Daddy help each other heal?

Saxton has never been able to make a Daddy stay. He wants one desperately, but they’ve all walked away. He knows exactly why: because he’s damaged. Broken. Unable to give Daddies what they want from him.

When he meets Daddy Gale, who offers to take care of him after an accident, Saxton expects the same thing to happen. But Gale is different in many ways, and he has his own wounds. He has endless patience with Saxton, and he respects Saxton's boundaries.

But when Saxton can’t open up about the trauma that forever changed him, will Gale decide Saxton isn’t worth the trouble after all? Or will Saxton finally have a Daddy who accepts him the way he is?

Healing Hand is a sweet, low heat Daddy care MM romance with loads of hurt/comfort, age play, tender moments, and emotions that will give you all the feels.

Genres: M M Romance, BDSM, Romance, Contemporary, Gay, LGBT, M M Contemporary

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2020

About the author

Would you like the long or the short version of my bio?

The short? You got it.

I write steamy gay romance books and I love it. I also love reading books. Books are everything.

How was that?

A little more detail? Gotcha.

I started writing my first stories when I was a teen…on a freaking typewriter. I still have these, and they’re adorably romantic. And bad, haha. Fear of failing kept me from following my dream to become a romance author, so you can imagine how proud and ecstatic I am that I finally overcame my fears and self doubt and did it. I adore my genre because I love writing and reading about flawed, strong men who are just a tad broken..but find their happy ever after anyway.

My favorite books to read are pretty much all MM/gay romances as long as it has a happy end. Kink is a plus… Aside from that, I also read a lot of nonfiction and not just books on writing. Popular psychology is a favorite topic of mine and so are self help and sociology.

Hobbies? Ain’t nobody got time for that. Just kidding. I love traveling, spending time near the ocean, and hiking. But I love books more.

Come hang out with me in my Facebook Group Nora’s Nook where I share previews, sneak peeks, freebies, fun stuff, and much more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/noras...

Wanna get first dibs on freebies, updates, sales, and more? Sign up for my newsletter (no spamming your inbox full…promise!) here: http://www.noraphoenix.com/newsletter/

You can also stalk me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoraFromBHR
On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nora.phoenix/
On Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nora-...

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I would absolutely love this. And at first I was really enjoying it. But then I didn't.

My two main problems with this book were that nothing really happens and Saxton's insecurities.

I love age play books where the couple slowly tries to find a right balance in their new roles. But I felt as if Gale and Saxton were completely set in their roles as daddy and boy from the moment they met. There was hardly any age play at all actually. I mean, Gale takes care of Saxton, and Saxton calls Gale daddy and acts younger. But that was it.

Most of this book consists of them talking about how insecure Saxton is and if Gale is about to leave him. And just how many conversations about this can you have, geez.

Saxton also has this big trauma that makes him never want to have sex ever again. But we only find out what that is at 90%. It's hinted at a lot, but Saxton keeps saying he isn't ready to talk about it. I just thought that went on waaaaaay too long.

This was definitely not my favorite in the series.

[Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈]

I have no idea how to rate this. I have parts I loved, but I didn’t love it all. I had no problem with the low steam. I think my problems stem from how fast their relationship started. I am used to seeing these relationships move fast, but it made quite a bit of the book feel like too much filler. I got a bit bored. It was like filler, filler, filler... tada! the end.

I don’t know. I have a feeling I wasn’t in the right headspace to enjoy this. It’s probably a serious case of it’s not you, it’s me. Because of this, I don’t think it’s fair for me to attempt to rate the book right now.

Take my attempt at a review with a grain of salt. You may love it. Heck, I may love it later. Just not today. 😕

[Gustaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come, but let me say this. I love this author's writing style.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up for me. This book is part of a series that revolve around kink, and I have really enjoyed the prior books, so I was VERY curious how this would work with an a-spec character. One is a demisexual Daddy Dom, and the other is an asexual, sex-averse little sub.

Saxton is a little who is looking for a daddy, and having trouble finding one that meets his needs. He meets Gale after an accident, and Gale is immediately drawn to Saxton and offers to help him recover. I do feel like the relationship and the overall trust in care happened a bit too quickly for me? But I really enjoyed the emotional relationship focus over a sexual one. This might throw readers who were expecting another hot book in this series, since the previous ones were very steamy, but this is definitely a low-steam, slow burn for the two as Gale and Saxton work towards finding trust and love together.

If you are a fan of ABDL and Daddy care kink, and looking for a book with demi/ace rep, this one easily stands on its own so you don’t have to read the previous books in the series beforehand.

Thank you for the review copy provided by the author.

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars

The premise of the book had promise but the execution fell short.

The main issue… if you could call it that wasn’t brought up until 90%… and it was kinda predictable. I wished that Saxton opened up to Gale earlier… but oh well.

I am glad I read this, but I feel like even thought this was in the “Perfect Hands” series it should have been in the “No Shame” series since Noah and Company were in it more than the characters in “Perfect Hands”

This book wasn’t necessary for the “Perfect Hands” series, I feel like it could be read as a standalone, or even better as a crossover novel for the two series “Perfect Hands” and “No Shame”.

It was good to get a different view point for this kink, having a demisexual Daddy Dom and an asexual little.

[Peppa]

I‘m sorry but I actually can’t give any real review to it even tho I finished the book… the thing is, I probably skimmed over 80% through it. I don’t know why but this was just hella boring to me and the characters felt kind of flat compared to the couples in the previous one.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I have loved all the books in the Perfect Hands series and was waiting with baited breath for this one. I am utterly disappointed that I couldn't get through it.

Things drag so much. You don't get much ABDL and the story attempts to create so much drama around things that aren't that shocking. Gale's sexuality for one is dragggggged out. It may be that I'd just read a M/M story where these topics were handled so maturely and from such an empowered place that reading this felt silly.

Meaning in the other book "Love Lessons" by Reese Morrison, characters are asexual, Deaf, genderqueer, etc. etc. So someone in this book as an adult having so much trouble speaking about being demisexual feels immature.

I am demisexual. I am able to say that to a new partner. I am an adult, if someone can't understand that demisexuals, asexuals, sapiosexuals exist, that's on them. Also Saxton is studying attraction in gay men. When Gale FINALLY reveals his shocking secret, he asks Gale to explain it. Shouldn't he have read about these types of sexualities? You can get a PhD in gay attraction and have never heard of demisexual?! Particularly in the LGBTQIA community where there are so many types of people.

The secrets I got to were all handled this way. I have a friend who is dyslexic. She says it to people without shamefully hiding her face because she's an adult. She's a writer. It's hard for her. Yet in this book every "secret" is imbued with this unnecessary level of DUN DUN DUUUUN. I stopped reading, then checked other reviews to get some encouragement and read that Saxton's "secret" regarding his issues with sex weren't as important as the story leads you to believe. Seems like a pattern here. Unfortunately, the author wants to give you such "deep" characters that she ends up treating simple plot points as though you should gasp and clutch your Pearls.

Saxton constantly believing Gale would leave got boring. Gale constantly saying I'll never go got boring. All in all what I got to in this book wasn't good.

It's that simple. Save yourself the hundreds of pages.

[JD Crittendon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Past Is Not Your Future!

A car accident brings ER Nurse Gale and PhD student Saxton together in more ways than one. This story is a bit intense, sweet, and emotional. However, it seems a bit off from the beginning, not authentic. My concerns: I don’t understand taking a stranger home without some inquiries. Also, how the dynamic around the money issue played out. I didn’t quite buy this premise. Although, it is a somewhat good read. I liked the other books in the series better.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going into this, I didn’t have high expectations because the reviews aren’t great. However, I’m so happy I read this because it was so sweet. I can definitely how it wouldn’t be for anyone tho. But I just found it so sweet and wholesome, Gale was so freaking sweet to his Saxy. Have you ever heard of those people who say their partner came over one day, and then just never left? That was Gale and Saxton lol. Literally. The first time they meet and Gale goes over to Saxton’s house, he never goes back to his house other than to get clothes. In real life, of course, I’d think that was absolutely bonkers, but in this book I loved this aspect

[Nanna Mørk-Sander · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just wasn't my favorite.

It was almost too easy as is sometimes the case with age play-stories, where people come together quickly, and become more secure in themselves because of their play. And that's good for them, but it's a little predictable and boring to read about.

The writing is good, so if you want a feel-good age play story, this is for you.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

In reference to my comment about this series passing the Bechdel test in the first books review, this book does the best job out of all five. There is a gender fluid secondary character a lesbian secondary character and two to three genuine women characters that are kind of developed. It's by far the best. I do think this book has some problems with insta love but that's a different question. That being said, the women don't technically talk to each other So it's still fails the Bechdel test

Reread November 2021. Yep I love this book a whole heck of a lot. It does drag a little bit in the last 1/3 but I'm not even mad about it.

DEMISEXUAL KINKY REP! I think this and book 4 (Slow Hand) are my favorite of the series. This is a kinky book with no major sex scenes. There's one frotting scene and one handjob scene but they're not steamy, I don't know how to explain that they're much more healing/restorative than they are steamy. One MC is demisexual and the other hates sex due to childhood trauma. This leads to a lot of insecurity between the two of them but also a lot of great communication about trauma and also how being aspec isn't about trauma, and also how kink doesn't need to be sexual at all. There's some wonderful secondary characters and just a lot that I love. Highly recommend.

Reread September 2022

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet celebration of an asexual / demi couple. Highlights the importance of a loving relationship ❤️ a cute read

[Love Is All Around · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voto: 3.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI LADY MARMELADE
Siamo arrivati al quarto volume di questa serie incentrata sulle diverse dinamiche che ruotano intorno all’age play.
In tutti i libri della serie le coppie di protagonisti hanno superato ognuno un ostacolo diverso, ma il focus di ogni volume era nello sviluppo del particolare rapporto del Daddy-Boy. La serie è in continuo crescendo dal punto di vista delle difficoltà da affrontare, tanto che ogni volta mi ritrovo a dire che sto leggendo il volume più tosto dal punto di vista psicologico.
Credevo di aver ormai letto di tutto e invece devo ritornare sui miei passi.
Stavolta ho faticato durante la lettura e confesso di non essere entrata molto in sintonia coni personaggi.
La struttura narrativa è simile ai precedenti volumi: una coppia di uomini alla ricerca della propria metà che soddisfi i bisogni psicofisici che hanno reso difficile costruire delle relazioni precedenti.
Non esiste un modo standard di amare né di come vivere la propria sessualità, e questa serie ne è la dimostrazione.
I protagonisti stavolta sono un giovane infermiere molto dolce e premuroso, Gale, ma anche tosto e dominatore, e un suo giovane paziente, Saxton, finito al pronto soccorso dopo un pauroso incidente automobilistico.
Continua sul nostro blog!

[1000storie1000vite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi sono piaciuti tutti i romanzi di questa serie, ma "Mano premurosa" ha, per me, qualcosa in più rispetto agli altri.
Una dolcezza e una delicatezza uniche. Due protagonisti meravigliosi, che sanno ascoltare i loro cuori, avere fiducia e superare tutti gli enormi ostacoli che la vita, passata e presente, gli ha messo sulla strada.
Se Sexton l'ho amato, Gale... Non so, si può più che amare un personaggio? Sì, decisamente!
La storia, ricca di dettagli e di emozioni, ha un ritmo placido ma avvincente, non sono riuscita a staccarmene fino alla parola fine.
La quasi totale assenza di scene sensuali in un romanzo sul mondo BDSM può sembrare strana ma, vi assicuro, è perfetta per questo libro.
Tra queste pagine si respira una declinazione di amore vero, profondo, accogliente, frutto di due personalità particolari e segnate, che mi ha colmato l'animo.
I temi affrontati sono difficili e dolorosi, analizzati soprattutto attraverso le loro conseguenze, ma trattati con rispetto, approfondimento e immensa sensibilità.
La resa italiana non è delle migliori, soprattutto nella consecutio temporum, ma ad un romanzo del genere perdono tutto.
4 stelle e mezzo
Hugs&kisses

[Szidi ☼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were things I loved, scenes I liked, and chapters I not so much. But one thing is for sure, it was longer then necessary, and we got kept in the dark more then it was important.

The sexual orientation of the main characters were a surprise for me, but the secrets about them wasn't as important as it seems. I hate stories where there are things that scream from the pages, but aren't written down or spoken between the characters. In this case, their sexuality and one dark memories from the past on Saxton's side.

Saxton was cute, and Daddy Gale just perfect in every aspect. And they were lovely together. I loved their relationship, it was really insta, but I loved the caring scenes. The age-play were good too, but it wasn't full on ABDL as much as I like it, but it was good for them.

So I think the characters weren't deep enough, I mean Saxton always was afraid of losing Gale too as his previous daddies, and Gale was always like 'do anything, I won't leave'. So after a while it got boring, and I just wanted to see more about their identity and not just the surface.

The main plot of the story was their sexual orientation, and it was really well written. I loved everything about those scenes, Gale and Saxy were really cute.

The ending was a bit too much for me, and as I said I hated that we got to know the secret at the end of the book.

While it was good, it certainly isn't my favorite daddy/age-play book nor the fav from the author.

[Wendy Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I am in the minority here but it is hands down my lest favorite of the series. I liked both Gale and Saxton but a relationship is built on trust and honesty. I just feel like there was a disconnect. They said the right words but I didn't feel them or believe them..... This pains me as I am a huge Nora fan 😩

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of you, if you pay attention to me at all, are probably wondering why I’m reading another set of Daddy books. And you’re right, I’m not a huge fan. It’s nothing against the kink, AT ALL. Or the fact of age difference or silver foxes or anything like that. It’s just not a trope for me. But the reason I took this one on, it’s because this series is more about the dom/sub relationship, which is how it starts, and more than the daddy/little, which is how it ends up. It, for me, it about the experiences in it. The plot of the story and I couldn’t pass these up for that. Which brings me to another point. There are triggers in this book. I recommend you read these books in order so you know who’s who and what’s what. But each book has a trigger of some sort in it and this one is no different. There is mention of trauma, and we eventually find out it’s drug abuse, theft and rape. And it’s not a pretty picture from the reactions of the parents and everything else that goes with it. So please be aware and be careful.

I really enjoyed this one, because not only of the messages in it, but because of one of the MCs being a demi. That makes things a whole new ballgame for a lot of people and I love to see other aspects of the rainbow getting their story told as well.

For Gale, he’s known he’s gay for a long, long time. But it’s not just him being gay that made him different. It’s that sex wasn’t a big deal for him. For him, he didn’t see what all the hoopla was about. But he loved the Dom aspect of the lifestyle, because he could get something out of it and it didn’t need to be sex. Plus it helped to understand how the other person in the relationship or scene was feeling. So when little Sexton came into his ER, after getting a heads up he was a little, Gale knew immediately he had to be gentle and try to protect his secrecy with all he had. And he did. And because of that, Sexton knew he had someone he could trust. And without saying a word. But when it came time for Sexton to go home, he needed help. And Gale jumped in with both feet. After what little they talked about in the hospital, Gale knew he was hooked. He wanted this little and to be his Daddy. But both were carrying secrets and Sexton was terrified Gale was going to leave him for either being too needy or when Gale found out about ALL the truths in his life. And Gale had to constantly reassure him that wasn’t going to happen. But in the end, something needs to shift in order for them to move on in their relationship. Gale knows Sexton needs time and patience. He only hopes that eventually Sexton will trust the words and actions Gale keeps showing him.

It’s hard to be in a relationship when you’re different. Whether from it being asexual, demi, from trauma or whatever, there always seems to be this stigmata that there has to be sex of some kind or you are just icy, frigid or a freak. Something of the sort. When it’s so much more than that and so far from the truth. Being demi/ace myself, I get where Gale was coming from. He needs that emotional connection to be able to do anything physically. And because of how different he feels about sex, it helped him to deal with Sexton in his struggles with it. Until they could get to the heart of the reason why. Sexton more than anything, needed to know someone would love him and be patient with him and not just leave him because he was different. And until he could feel that trust to the core of his bones, he would never be able to open up or truly be himself. And because of Gale’s patience and understanding, he was finally starting to feel peace and a way to purge. It wasn’t easy. Because at one point, Gale was wondering if it was worth it. But as someone had to gently remind him, everyone has to do things in their own time. It can’t be forced or rushed. It can’t be guilted out. It has to come from a level of trust not many can give. And because of Gale being who he is, with his family and his friends, he gave something to Sexton he never thought he’d ever have. Hope, love, friends and a family of his own. And that made all the difference.

[Josephyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked this book. It's true what the other reviews say, there isn't that much happening. There's no big events or angst and also there's not much age play apart from the occasional mentioning of a diaper or coloring. However, it is a very easy and relaxed read and I loved how attentive and caring Gale was, especially at the beginning in the hospital.

I also liked the way sex was handled. They both had some issues: Gale is demisexual, meaning he does like sex but only occasionally and only when there is a personal deep connection first. Saxton had a very bad experience as a child and even though he doesn't really remember it anymore, it still made sex difficult for him. but I appreciated that there was never any pressure to have sex and the focus was more on being close together, cuddling and caring.

Sure, it wasn't perfect. I would've preferred if there'd been a bit more communication between them. They both made assumptions and a lot of the book was 1 of them making an assumption, things going south for a while until they'd finally talk about it and discover the assumption was wrong. I also would've liked if there was a bit more personality to both Saxton and Gale. Saxton is a supersmart guy but I'm not sure what the significance is in the story. He went to Harvard, has a PhD, is writing a thesis... Is it only to make Gale feel inferior? I would've liked it if there was actually something he had achieved, something people knew him over. Maybe a job where he could use those skills, where he was challenged.
The same goes for Gale, he's a nurse and he has dyslexia so he can barely read but the challenges and satisfactions that come with the job are never mentioned throughout the story. I don't think it was ever even mentioned why he likes the job. I mean, he spends the whole day taking care of people in a very personal way. I'm kinda curious how that translates to coming home and then wanting to do nothing more than being a daddy and taking care of his little.

Maybe I'm just thinking too much about things. Overall this was a cute read albeit a bit long and boring. I think it's best to read this book if you want something easygoing with no surprises.

[Kristina Gravett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this 2.5 stars but rounded up since I didn’t completely feel like it deserved 2 stars.

I don’t know how to describe my feelings for this book as they aren’t bad but they aren’t exactly good. Kind of like my 2.5 star rating, they are somewhere in the middle of didn’t love it but didn’t hate it.

I enjoyed the love, care, and acceptance shown in this story, as well as the perspective from someone whom identifies as demisexual.

To me this story felt as if it wasn’t written out of a need or a passion for the current characters but maybe a way to bring back the characters of the No Shame series in a way. The characters were made relevant in the story just for the ending, if they hadn’t been included it would not have detracted from the story at all. Saxton could have just as easily had the epiphany about telling Gale his trauma by relating to Thierry or Jathen from the previous book in THIS series.

With that being said I usually love Noras books and am happy that she put Noah and his family in this story because it helped me identify the series I was thinking of the other day but was unable to recall the title of. If you’re smart you can probably guess which series that is...

[Emily Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book I've been hoping someone would write for a long time. It's everything I adore in a romance--unique, relatable people, realistic partnerships, and a lasting emotional bond between the main characters. Gale and Saxton have a deep, intimate connection that leaves me 100% certain that these men will be together forever, no matter what happens in their future. The love in this book is truly soul-deep.

This book will probably not be everyone's cup of tea. If you're looking for a super steamy read, try one of Nora's other books. If you're not a fan of "love at first sight" style romances, you may not find Gale and Saxton's immediate connection believable. But if you believe that sometimes fate puts you in the right place at the right time to meet someone, I think you'll appreciate how special Gale and Saxton are. Nora has such an incredible way of expressing emotions, and this book is no exception. Thank you for reaching beyond the conventional tropes in romance to give these men their happily ever after.

**I received an ARC through Patreon. My review was requested but not required. All opinions are my own.

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how bot Gale and Saxon are able to explore their relationship and decide what their normal is outside of what people expect it to be. They are just such a perfect fit for each other and I love the happy things that happen to them. I love to see the healing and the building of relationships. Very beautiful and tender story.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This wasn't one of my favorites in the series not due to the low steam but just the story for me. I enjoyed the crossover and interaction with the characters but I just didn't have a strong feeling for this one.

[Ingrid Jrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always this new book from Perfect Hand series is a gem.

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truama

Saxton is in an accident. Gale is his trauma nurse. Saxton is so afraid. He's a little and needs a daddy. Gale steps up and takes control.

[Jooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gayle was just the right person to cross Saxton's path. They complement each other perfectly.
Can't imagine how horrible Saxton's youth must have been...

Nice to see the link with side characters from a different series. Now I want to know their story so guess I've signed up for another series by this author.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've liked most of the books in this series and I think I've given them 3 or 4 stars for the most part. I didn't care for this one at all, and the biggest reason was the gratuitous inclusion of the characters from the No Shame series. The characters added absolutely nothing to the story and the rehashing of the storyline from those books was super boring and unnecessary. No you didn't need to read that series to read this book, as promised, but I don't think they needed to be in this book at all. I skimmed large chunks of text with these people in them and didn't miss anything from the main story, though I did pretty much give up on caring about the story by that time anyway. There are better ways to drum up book sales than to ruin a new book with advertisements for your other books.

It would have been one thing if this group of guys was the core group of friends for one of the main characters, but one was just a work acquaintance and the others no one knew at all. The discussion of their relationship was in no way pertinent to the main story and seemed very out of place. The daddy MCs actual best friends appeared in only one scene early on in the book and were then never seen or heard from again because the author was too busy dropping in characters from other books which didn't complement this story AT ALL. Not only was I annoyed by the boredom factor of this kind of lazy storytelling, but at least fifty pages of this book weren't relevant to the story and that is a complete waste of my time.

Besides the lazy writing, the story wasn't very interesting. The plot was predictable and moved at a snail's pace so the author could accommodate the characters from her other books instead of concentrating on the main characters. The main conflict was unsurprising and didn't get any attention until around the 95% mark. Then we get a two page conversation about it and a super quick epilogue and that's all she wrote. All in all, I was left in a complete state of "WTF was that?!" and can't recommend this book AT ALL. When the author said the last book was going to be the last book in the series, she should have stuck to that and not bothered with this one.

[Quwinntessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Know before you buy

This book was a tease from the get go. The synopsis gave no real indication regarding the slow burn ridiculousness of this book. I don’t consider this a spoiler, you should be informed before you buy this book.

The Daddy is demisexual and the boy is an abuse survivor. The Daddy/boy scenes are sugar coated with sleeping pills, make your teeth hurt before you pass out from boredom. The book is filled with”what’s the boys secret?”, and “I love you even though you’re really incapable of loving me back in a whole and complete way”. Listen sex isn’t everything in real life, but in a kink novel as part of a series where it is expected, the author better deliver. This isn’t high fiction, it’s gay, kinky, erotic romance, so do not miss one of the main ingredients.

I think if this book had been legitimately part of the No Shame series I could have tolerated it better, but Healing Hands was the wrong series for this book.

I hated Gale, who shouldn’t be a nurse if he can’t control himself around his patients and maintain a normal and healthy separation from his patients. Saxton was even worse. He might be the worst “boy” I’ve ever read. Putting the two of them together was supposed to feel like two outcasts in the kink world striking gold with each other, all it did was make for a story that dragged a boring and unoriginal secret out to the VERY LAST CHAPTER, and then ended with “this is all the physical intimacy I can ever give you, hope that’s ok”. And I, for the life of me, could not figure out what attracted either man to the other. I know this review is rambling because that’s what this book felt like, a rambling mess that didn’t know what it wanted to be other than a reader tease.

Mission accomplished. This is the second Book in a row that I’ve found disappointing by Ms Phoenix. I think I’ll be more careful to read the synopsis for clues about what the book is really about, and wait longer for there to be more than her illogically rabid fans leaving gushing reviews that are more pandering than accurate.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess I went into this story expecting different things than some reviewers did... and trust me when I say that I wasn't disappointed! I will be honest and admit that I didn't cry, which did surprise me. Being demisexual, and having only had one sexual partner my whole life, I can totally see where Gale was coming from. No matter how comfortable you are in your sexuality, there will always be someone in society that will judge you for being "different" from what they perceive as the norm. Having had to deal with dyslexia his whole life would have been enough to make him leary of hateful things being said, but add in what many would call a "sexual issue" and self-esteem can hit rock bottom pretty fast. It's easy to say "man up and broadcast it to the world" but it is a whole different ballgame when you have to deal with the fallout. So, my advice to others is DON'T JUDGE!!!

As for Saxton? I was glad to see that he was able to make progress and work through his issues, maybe he didn't get to where he wanted to be, but he was making progress, and that is all that anyone can expect from a trauma of any sort.

I loved the fact that Saxy was able to find other "littles" to fulfill the need he had to just let go and be... I actually found myself jealous when he and Raf were playing in the bouncy castles... darn it! LOL!!!

We met a lot of interesting and unique characters in this series and I have enjoyed meeting every single one of them and loved seeing them be able to get the lives that they deserved!

Sidenote: I'm not sure that I was aware of "littles" before this series, but I sure can see the draw that it would have for some... just to be able to let go from real-life every once in a while? Yeah, that would be nice! *grin*

[ML · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒙𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝑺𝑶 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕. 𝑺𝒂𝒙𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒛𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑫𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔. 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈.
𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚. 𝑨𝑵𝑫...
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝑬𝑨 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sweet little heartfelt hug of a book. 🥹This story is kind of the ultimate love story. Two people bonded by genuine soul filling love and devotion.

I don’t know anything about Daddy kinks or littles… and this story explained it so beautifully and respectfully. The lgbtq+ community among other identities/lifestyles are lovingly depicted in this book. The world needs these “normalized” and each story like this, helps.

💕. No third act break up. Much of the story is Gale (Daddy) reassuring Saxton (little) that he won’t ever leave him. And he doesn’t.
🗣️. All the communication. These two talk about everything, even the fact that they aren’t ready to tackle certain subjects. Saxton’s trauma is revealed in the last 10% of the book, but rather than being frustrating it serves to highten the trust and devotion between the two MCs.
👬. Gale (30) is an ER nurse who meets Saxton (30’s?), a wealthy PhD candidate, when he is brought into the ER after having been involved in a car accident. It becomes clear that Saxton is a “little” when Gale sees he’s in a diaper and discretely takes care of him. They immediately bond.
🏠 Found family. Gale’s family and friends and beautiful.
🌶️. This is a low spice book, but still filled w so many feels. The low spice is for a specific reason and adds to the story between these two.
🫣. No OM drama.
👥. Dual third person POV; engaged and then married in brief 1 yr later epilogue.

These two each have their issues that they learn to work through together. It is an insta bond with Gale immediately taking care of Saxton as he needs to recover at home from his injuries. I love how he moves in and then just never leaves. lol.

The tension comes from them each learning to fully love and accept themselves and each other. They each have certain identities and sexual preferences that they slowly reveal to each other. The switch back and forth between Saxy/Daddy and Saxton/Gale. It’s done very well and respectfully. So many many small moments of love and trust are shown and shared. So much love and respect between these two.

The found family with Gale’s friends, the friends they meet at the club, and the hospital are all beautiful and heartfelt. All the love for Gale’s mom 💕💕💕💕. She is who I strive to be as the mom of an lgbt adult.

I dropped a star for a couple of reasons - I really wanted to see them make more progress w Saxton’s trauma. I also would have like to see a little more balance, even within this dynamic, to see Gale get more acts of devotion from Saxton. It feels a bit one-sided.

- the connection is insta
- forced proximity. Altho it is definitely not “forced”. lol
- dom/sub - Daddy/Little play and lifestyle
- sexual trauma as a child (Saxton)
- distant parents (Saxton)
- found family
- millionaire (S)/working class (G)
- dyslexia rep.

This story might not be for everyone, but it filled my soul a little. 💕