Review: Diablo Blanco Club 2
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2010
After being injured, Vance Justiss leaves the Marine Corps.  After taking a few months to recover, he returns to the Diablo Blanco Club, a BDSM establishment he has often visited over the years.  He intends to regain his control over his emotions there, through help from his longtime friend, Ben, and fulfill a promise to another friend at the same time.  Unfortunately, the secrets he's keeping make it harder to regain the control he craves, even under Ben's whip.Ben Murphy has been in love with his friend Vance for a while, but hasn't said anything.  After hearing about Vance's injury, he's determined to share his feelings.  When Vance comes looking for the solace of Ben's whip, Ben turns it into a challenge.  Will challenging Vance bring out the horrible secret that's tearing him up inside, or drive him away from Ben forever?Under Control is an emotional tale of the scars caused by the horrors of war, and the healing power of love.  If you're looking for a light, fluffy story, Under Control is not the book for you.  It's surprisingly dark in places, and Vance's secret is truly horrific--maybe a bit too much so for my taste.  That said, I enjoyed the story.  Both Ben and Vance are sympathetic characters.  They both served their country in the Marine Corps, and together they dealt with being bisexual in the armed forces.  At times, Vance's obsessive desire to be under control frustrated me a bit.  I could understand why he felt so terrible, but I still wanted to shake him out of his self-pity a couple of times.  I couldn't help but like Ben.  He's caring, understanding, very hot, and willing to do whatever it takes to help Vance past whatever's troubling him.  Fans of military characters, BDSM, and stories of love helping someone heal after a tragedy will be sure to find Under Control an interesting and emotional read, as I did.CassieReviewed for Joyfully Reviewed