Review: Building a new dream on the foundations of the past
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 25, 2013
The book is a M/M romance with a BDSM theme, narrated in first person POV by Steve.  However it is NOT a traditional BDSM sort of story.  This one is unique.This was a story of betrayal, loss, rediscovery, belonging, and ultimately redefining a dream for a future.  The betrayal happens before this story opens, but the effects linger on.Steve escaped a BDSM relationship gone bad, in which he was abused as a slave, and he wants nothing to do with the BDSM scene anymore.  He tries to cope with some of the stress in his life by performing in drag as a Stevie Nicks impersonator.  Don is a leather master from America, who recently came to Australia for reasons I am not going to reveal (although I am sure they will slip out in a different review somewhere).  They meet under less than ideal circumstances and have to deal closely with each other for a period of time for reasons I am also not going to spoil.Don is used to control and has reasons to distrust Steve.  Steve wants nothing to do with another master and has issues with Don because of that.  A lot of the back-story for both men is revealed slowly, and it should stay that way.  Don't read ahead.There is no love at first sight here.  Some lust and reluctant attraction, but no love.  Understanding and trust takes time, and the emotional connection between them develops later.  Steve, in particular, has been very damaged by past events and has to finally come to terms with them.  Don needs to rethink what he thought he knew.  A young starry-eyed slave-wannabe wanting to learn about the scene joins them as they struggle to deal with their problems, adding another depth to the way the entire BDSM world is discussed by the characters and how their issues and/or desires are revealed.I will be honest and say that I did not particularly like the first couple of chapters (a little outside my comfort level, but probably realistic for what it was), but I loved the book.  However the beginning was necessary to set the stage for the rest of the story.  Once the action left the starting location, I could not put the book down. This is an emotional sometimes heart wrenching read.  Even though Steve is narrating, Don's thoughts/feelings are usually clear (or at least as clear as Steve sees them).I am not going to say anything about the resolution of the book, as the two men build a framework for a life together, and I hope no one else does either.I also admit it took me a lot longer than it should have to realize that every chapter title was the name of a Stevie Nicks song.  Now I need to go listen to all of them.I will definitely be reading this one again, maybe with the appropriate music.(E-book purchased from a different vendor)