Review: Appealing Characters, Strong Relationship Development, But Weak on the Mystery Side
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 29, 2013
Drake has always been a man in complete control which makes his being a Dom a natural fit and will be useful when his latest mission has him catching criminals who frequent BDSM events.  The man chosen to be his partner is a complete novice to the lifestyle and his actions early on show someone not cut out to be a sub.  Robbie's intrigued though and before long finds himself longing for punishments only Drake can mete out.Those looking for a mystery to be solved will be disappointed as this story's main focus is on the characters and their evolving relationship.  It's not until the very end that time is spent wrapping up the crime after laying the groundwork at the beginning.  This story is told mainly through Drake's perspective so while I got to understand him a bit, Robbie was a bit more of a mystery and early on I found myself a bit annoyed by his flippant/un-sub actions.  It's not until later on that his actions are understood and I was finally able to enjoy his playful attitude.  Drake's emotions were conflicted too and ran hot and cold as he fought with himself to keep their relationship professional.  He desperately wanted to take care of and keep Robbie safe but didn't see how to make things more permanent.  As much of an alpha as Drake is, there's still a sweetheart lurking inside desperate to get out and claim the man who's won him over completely.Even though this book is the second installment in the Dangerous Affairs series it can definitely be read on its own as there's very little connecting this book to the previous release.  The scenes involving BDSM are intense but not as much as I've read in other books.  The descriptions of these scenes are vivid and sweat-inducing and pull you into the scene completely.  The connection between Drake and Robbie is full of sexual tension and is surprisingly emotional, especially for such a dominant man as Drake, and I found their rocky relationship immensely satisfying in its complexity.Ms. Toland has created another satisfying read full of emotional and sexual intensity.  While not as good as the previous installment I still found myself clamoring to reach the end and greatly anticipate the (hopefully) next book in the Dangerous Affairs series.