Review: Almost Laconic--Until It Counts
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 9, 2014
This fourth edition of the Collars & Cuffs series is a slight departure from the first three which dealt with older men (Doms all) and the way they courted, and captured, their much younger eventual subs.  That doesn't mean it's devoid of sex, or of scenes, or of super character development--of, for that matter, familiarity.  This book continues to develop the relationships of the characters in the first three editions, and it becomes apparent almost instantly that Collars & Cuffs co-owner and romantic savant Leo will play another pivotal role--and thankfully he does, a wonderful ploy by Ms. Wells.Andrew Barrett and Gareth Michaels (both in their 20s, though Gareth is about four years younger) meet at a gay strip club where they are star attractions--a departure from the impressions they convey to the colleagues in the business world.  But then each of them takes a turn to the wilder side by exploring Collars & Cuffs, and the way they meet there and the development of their friendship, and then relationship, is almost hesitant--and that's the strength of the book.Andrew's calling card is contortionism--he is a trained circus performer whose experience gains him instant celebrity as both a pole dancer at the strip club and an innovative, and young, Dom at Collars & Cuffs.  Gareth is less confident in each of those settings, especially since he was cruelly dumped by his Master Craig four years before, a man who comes to embody all the necessary evils that Ms. Wells likes to develop in at least one character per book.The way the two of these men come together is propitious, but once again an unexpected, and violent, turn takes both characters to the limit of their physical and emotional abilities.  The end result is a scene involving Andrew (that's the only spoiler here) which plays out so logically that some readers might find it contrived, but I found it an absolute hoot.  And I found the book wonderful.