Review: Unrealistic
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 05 28, 2013
Since this book is getting such hugely mixed reviews, I thought I would toss in my two cents' worth.First of all, if you can take this as a romantic fantasy with more than a bit of kink, you'll like Homecoming just fine. If you're looking for realistic characters, a solid plot and a healthy relationship, you will NOT find it here.The story takes place over a tiny span of days; though the timing is a bit vague, it was probably less than a week from beginning to end. Dane comes home from three years in the military to join his father, new stepmother, and new step-brother and immediately starts putting the moves on his new "brother." Dane says he wants them to bond and be close, and they'll go off to the same college in a few weeks where they can live together. Meanwhile, the dominant, possessive side of Dane starts to show.Please note, this is not a true BDSM relationship, where the characters discuss limits and safewords and practice safe sex. It's also not anything like an actual gay relationship, because Dane has very specific ideas about being "the husband" in a relationship, and his partner would be "the wife" and stay at home, taking care of him, doing all the housework, being absolutely submissive in all ways, including the sex.Spoilers ahead.As a kinky fantasy, this book hits all the buttons. Rough sex, forced chastity, some spanking, bondage that includes ropes and duct tape and sweaty socks as gags. There are pages of foot worshipping...in great detail...detail that included sights and smells and I - not being into foot fetish - was fairly revolted and had to skip ahead quite a bit. The author REALLY likes the term "baby batter," and has a tendency towards other word choices that pulled me out of the moment because I found them NOT sexy. Also kind of horrific, Dane talks about their future, and how he'll leave Lucas in bondage for hours at a time, while he goes off to class or work. And all I could think of was how Lucas could take ill and choke to death on his own sick, or die in a tragic fire that he couldn't escape because he was all tied up. You really have to overlook the complete lack of basic BDSM standards to enjoy this book. Also not sexy was how ridiculously submissive Lucas became in a handful of days; giving up all autonomy, independence and self-respect because he lusts after his new step-brother's body.Overall, the book is fine for a dose of heavy kink. There's lots of sex, some of it hot, some of it interesting. There's a tiny bit of romance. The grammar and editing were fine; there was an attempt at a plot beyond the kink. Just don't expect too much else.