Review: Excellent M/M Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 3, 2014
I have read all of the preceding novels in this series. I can tell you emphatically, as good as they were, Bonds of Denial is head and shoulders better than the first four books. I should also confess that M/M fiction is not my normally my preferred genre. I had preordered this book after I read the others, and did not know who the book was about. I don't dislike M/M on principal or anything, I just haven't read many in this genre that I like, or find believable. That said, Bonds of Denial is one of the best (of any genre) love stories I have read in quite some time.Very Brief Synopsis - Rock, the hacker extraordinaire, employed by the BDSM club the series revolves around, can't deny his attraction to Carter, friend to Tyler from book 4, any longer. Sounds simple enough, right? Except Rock is so far in the closet, he can't admit to himself he is gay and Carter is a male escort/prostitute. Slowly, slowly, s-l-o-w-l-y, Carter breaks down Rock's walls. Then Carter's reality slaps him in the face, and he has a massive "I'm not worthy" breakdown. Can Rock break through Carter's insecurity the way Carter broke through Rock's walls?What worked - Everything worked. Rock's reluctance, his shyness, his inability to give in to the attraction to Carter, the way Rock's yearning for Carter was expressed...Rock's gradual admittance and acceptance of himself and his orientation, his deep affection for Carter, his fear of the reaction to his disclosure from his family and friends and ultimately, his fear of losing Carter to his own demons...Beautifully written and portrayed. **Edited to add - Rock's awkwardness in questioning Carter's motivations was by turns hilarious and cringe inducing. Carter had a lot of barriers to overcome, to say the least!Carter was perfectly written. Like a lot of people, Carter kind of fell into his life. After making a choice years ago to help him survive, it became easier to just go with the flow than try to make a change. Tyler said it best - "The devil you know is better than the devil you don't know." The fear Carter feels in attempting to walk away from his well-paying but emotionally devastating escort job is realistic and believable. Don't we all fear the unknown? We judge people who have lifestyles that are not as socially acceptable, and we wonder why they don't walk away... well, Ms. Aicher presents the other side of the argument in a frank, nonjudgmental way.The romance between Carter and Rock was beautiful. Their attraction to each other was immediate, and only grew as we got to know them. They talked, and shared their dreams and their sorrows. There was no rush to intimacy, but once they got there, wow! The emotional connection was every bit as strong as the physical. The love story grew naturally, and did not feel forced at all. Carter was supportive of Rock, and Rock was very supportive of Carter. They both took steps to help the other. It looked like love, and felt like love. SO well done.As an aside, a lot of modern romances have an immediate intimacy and not so much growth of a relationship. Until I read Bonds of Denial, I didn't remember how nice the slow build can be, and how much I have missed it.What didn't work - Carter's meltdown went on a bit too long, but it all worked out in the end.Bottom line - Regardless of your genre preference, if you enjoy a good romance, you will love this book. Time and money well spent. Note - Although the first 4 books in the series were heavily slanted to the BDSM scene, this book is not BDSM-centric, just a mention here and there.