When All the World Sleeps in Riptide Publishing

Sep 26, 2013 Kaje Harper rated it it was amazing

Shelves: intense, bdsm, m-m

This was an intense, dark story with a looming sense of foreboding for most of the book. Daniel committed a horrible crime, in response to a horrible situation, while he was supposedly sleep-walking. He was convicted, but given a short sentence due to support for his claim of being unaware of what he did. Now back in his hometown - the scene of his crime - on parole, he's still dealing with severe dissociative episodes when he sleeps, and the fear that goes with being out of control. He also dea This was an intense, dark story with a looming sense of foreboding for most of the book. Daniel committed a horrible crime, in response to a horrible situation, while he was supposedly sleep-walking. He was convicted, but given a short sentence due to support for his claim of being unaware of what he did. Now back in his hometown - the scene of his crime - on parole, he's still dealing with severe dissociative episodes when he sleeps, and the fear that goes with being out of control. He also deals with the fact that most of the town thinks he didn't pay enough for the crime he committed. He is shunned, bullied, taken advantage of, and so terrified of his own potential for mayhem that he has no energy for anything but the very basics of living.

Bel is a cop, younger than Daniel, and also gay although not openly so. As a teen, he liked and lusted after Daniel. As an adult, he feels the weight of the town's hatred for Daniel, accentuated because Daniel is openly gay. Bel is torn between sympathy and revulsion, and is determined to figure out more of what is going on with Daniel. But the more he learns, the more Daniel seems like the victim of both his own condition and the responses of everyone around him. Bel becomes his protector, and then his lover, in his quest to help this man survive.

The authors did many things I really appreciated, from not taking easy outs in the plot resolution, to including a good positive female character. The premise felt fresh, the emotions were strong. I liked Bel's uncertainty, especially in the beginning, and the way he didn't always make good choices in dealing with Daniel. I really sympathized with Daniel's situation, and thought it was telling that one unguarded and misguided comment from Daniel's family set things in motion - words have power. The climax was a bit dramatic and unlikely, but fit the tone of the rest of the story and things were not wrapped up too neatly in the end. I was pulled rapidly through the story, tensely fascinated with how it would work out, and will probably give it a slower reread someday. ...more

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Oct 06, 2013 Vishous rated it liked it

Shelves: abuse, read-2014, romance, review, m-m, seriously-hot-alpha-male, hot-hot-guyzzz, steamy, adult, netgalley

*ARC via netgalley*

3.5

When I first read the blurb, I just knew I had to read this book. And I was simply mesmerized by the cover, like it whispered promises to me that it will be dark and haunting. And on top of it BDSM included.

And it had such an amazing and promising start. I was completely gripped by the story. Both Bel and Daniel were amazing characters and I just couldn't wait for them to be together, to see how will that happen. But somewhere around 50%, maybe even before, I simply lost m *ARC via netgalley*

3.5

When I first read the blurb, I just knew I had to read this book. And I was simply mesmerized by the cover, like it whispered promises to me that it will be dark and haunting. And on top of it BDSM included.

And it had such an amazing and promising start. I was completely gripped by the story. Both Bel and Daniel were amazing characters and I just couldn't wait for them to be together, to see how will that happen. But somewhere around 50%, maybe even before, I simply lost my hold for this book.

Maybe it was my expectation that it would be darker and not so sweet, maybe I expected the relationship to go over more bumpier road, maybe I thought the BDSM would be more.. Well BDSM, even though Bel was new to all that.

When it comes to Daniel and his sleepwalking, the whole idea was brilliant. All the problems he has in his life are because of that and what he did during sleepwalking. Bullied and beaten all his life for being gay, parents not understanding his medical condition. Not being welcome in his own town and even though he paid for his crime, he still kept being rejected from everybody because no one believed that he sleepwalks.

In the beginning I thought Bel was simply amazing towards him, and I enjoyed reading about him being sweet to Daniel. I loved how he wanted to help him with sleeping, to watch him while he sleeps, so Daniel doesn't have to cuff himself to have a couple of hours of sleep.
And I really enjoyed how it progressed slowly to them getting together. But after some time I got tired of it. For such a "dark" read, this book, their relationship, actually ended up... well sweet. The BDSM part was actually light (view spoiler), and the only thing kinda hard in that aspect, was how Daniel kept himself awake, and why he needed pain (view spoiler).

After some time I got tired of Daniel's character too. It was completely submissive on the outside, but inside his head it was completely different, full of rage and wanting to fight back. And it was like that constantly. Constantly about what he did, about being tired of fear will he do something awful again, while asleep. It just started tiring me down...

But I must admit that the whole idea of the book was actually pretty refreshing to read. I enjoyed it, but more in the beginning, because the rest ended up sweet, and that is actually my fault, because I had different expectations. ...more

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Mar 27, 2017 Addicted2M/M rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-also-or-only, suspense-thriller-mystery-crime, favorites, pairing-m-m, feels-angst, job-law-enforcement, feels-awww-sweet-warm-fuzzy, feels-intense-stressful-or-dark, sex-kink-bdsm, feels-made-me-tear-up

I loved Bel and Daniel and wish we could hear more of their story. Favorite book by these authors. Greg Tremblay is a master narrator. He took an already well-written, intense, unique story and made it even more heartbreaking, frustrating, hot, sweet, and even added a few moments of humor.

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Mar 15, 2014 Aija rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, riptide, novel, lgbt, contemporary, horror, disabled-mc

When all the world was sleeping, I couldn't put down this book.
What I loved about this story most was that it showed that this world is not all black and white, roses and sunsets. It's confusing, painful and full of wonders and it all comes from within. ...more

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Apr 07, 2014 Gwendolyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: law-enforcement

"“I been alive eighty-two years,” Mr. Roan said, following Daniel’s gaze. “I don’t care who knows I like cock.”

BAWAHAHAHAHAHAHA was. It expecting that and it made it extra funny. ...more

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