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liza5326's review
4.0
For an almost 500 pg book, it flew by! I am not always into hardcore, total BDSM, but I really liked this story. It wasn't just BDSM for pleasure and pain, it was all about Marcus helping Jim focus and move on from an event that took everything from him. There was a hell of a lot of sex and scenes, but I never felt like it was excessive or heading to PWP. A series I'll add to my never-ending TBR!
acethenerdyone's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
librobi's review
2.0
Dropped at 79% boring and repetitive. The sex was hot but way over used if it's possible.
audiobookmel's review
2.0
I got this book as a free e-book of the day on http://www.allromanceebooks.com. I thought I would try it out. I will say that the sex scenes are pretty hot and the BDSM is not rough as I thought it might be. This is a total power exchange relationship. Marcus is always dominant and controlling over Jim. I know that this works well for some people, but it just did not work for me. It made Jim seem really weak to me. Marcus forces Jim to get tattoos and piercing, which Jim eventually learns to love. But it seems to me that Jim learns to let Marcus tell him what he likes and dislikes and how he should feel. I just like to see characters who have a stronger personality and do not need someone else to do all their thinking for them 100% of the time.
tiggers_hate_acorns's review
3.0
Not that great a read. OK but don't think that I will be reading anymore in the series. Too much sex, not enough story, just scene after scene.
anniekayefic's review
3.0
This is 3.5 stars. I reduced the rating because I encountered some awkwardness in the punctuation when a character was stammering or trying to think of what to say (within a few chapters I'd gotten used to it). There were also times when it wasn't entirely clear who was speaking.
Not everyone will enjoy the style of relationship that develops between the characters and the power dynamics between them. It's obvious that Marcus truly loves Jim and wants to help him recover from the hell his life has become. What I appreciate is that Marcus' efforts to push Jim's boundaries stem from his insight into Jim's personality and knowing that Jim would thrive as a sub, that he could live such a full life if he allowed himself to move beyond his crisis-point coping mechanisms. Every time they scene, the love between them is utterly evident, and as that suits me very well, I find the sex scenes incredibly hot.
I'm also glad for what was missing in this relationship - humiliation, which is a real turn-off for me. Those who prefer to read more extreme subjugation BDSM situations may not find this to their liking.
The only thing I really wish I'd gotten to see was Marcus collaring Jim, especially since Marcus thinks ahead to when that day might come. I had high hopes that it might happen in the last scene of the book since they're celebrating a special occasion.
Not everyone will enjoy the style of relationship that develops between the characters and the power dynamics between them. It's obvious that Marcus truly loves Jim and wants to help him recover from the hell his life has become. What I appreciate is that Marcus' efforts to push Jim's boundaries stem from his insight into Jim's personality and knowing that Jim would thrive as a sub, that he could live such a full life if he allowed himself to move beyond his crisis-point coping mechanisms. Every time they scene, the love between them is utterly evident, and as that suits me very well, I find the sex scenes incredibly hot.
I'm also glad for what was missing in this relationship - humiliation, which is a real turn-off for me. Those who prefer to read more extreme subjugation BDSM situations may not find this to their liking.
The only thing I really wish I'd gotten to see was Marcus collaring Jim, especially since Marcus thinks ahead to when that day might come. I had high hopes that it might happen in the last scene of the book since they're celebrating a special occasion.
scarlett_r_90's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this - though I can understand why others, perhaps, do not.
I don't think Marcus is abusive or cruel or anything like that at all - he is a Dom and he is good enough as a Dom, and as a reader of body language, etc, that he sees what Jim needs. Again, I understand why many wouldn't understand this element of their relationship and the difference between saying 'no' and safewording. I have mental health issues which are comparable with Jim's (but not the same) and it's true that sometimes you have to be pushed or encouraged into doing things that you may not want to do, but deep down you recognise as beneficial. Sometimes that's getting out of bed in the morning; sometimes it's talking things out or being honest, or something entirely different, but pushiness is *needed*. It's not sexual for me or connected to the lifestyle, unlike Jim and Marcus, but the same basic principle applies. We don't always do what is best for ourselves, even when we want to, and someone stepping in can make the difference. It reminds me of [b:Dirty Laundry|13432867|Dirty Laundry (COP Birthday Bash Free Short)|Heidi Cullinan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327785391s/13432867.jpg|23892324] and both books have men who have some issues, but who become happy and better able to cope with life due to a non-traditional lifestyle.
For me, 'Bent' shows all the things I love to read about connected to a D/s relationship, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. I love Sean Michael's books!
I don't think Marcus is abusive or cruel or anything like that at all - he is a Dom and he is good enough as a Dom, and as a reader of body language, etc, that he sees what Jim needs. Again, I understand why many wouldn't understand this element of their relationship and the difference between saying 'no' and safewording. I have mental health issues which are comparable with Jim's (but not the same) and it's true that sometimes you have to be pushed or encouraged into doing things that you may not want to do, but deep down you recognise as beneficial. Sometimes that's getting out of bed in the morning; sometimes it's talking things out or being honest, or something entirely different, but pushiness is *needed*. It's not sexual for me or connected to the lifestyle, unlike Jim and Marcus, but the same basic principle applies. We don't always do what is best for ourselves, even when we want to, and someone stepping in can make the difference. It reminds me of [b:Dirty Laundry|13432867|Dirty Laundry (COP Birthday Bash Free Short)|Heidi Cullinan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327785391s/13432867.jpg|23892324] and both books have men who have some issues, but who become happy and better able to cope with life due to a non-traditional lifestyle.
For me, 'Bent' shows all the things I love to read about connected to a D/s relationship, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. I love Sean Michael's books!
nightpeaches's review
I had too many issues with the handling of consent (and lack thereof), both in general but especially in regards to the bodymods, to find this book an enjoyable read.
After only meeting a handful of times, Marcus insists that he "just knows" what Jim needs and that Jim doesn't actually mean it when he's screaming no and stop. Only several scenes later does he let Jim know what a safeword is and have him choose one. Later Marcus makes Jim get a tattoo and a piercing and steamrolls him both times when Jim says he doesn't want to, even when he nearly has a panic attack over it the second time. These scenes made me viscerally uncomfortable, since I feel that tattoos and piercings is something that someone should really want and never feel talked or pressured into getting, but neither Marcus nor the tattoo artist/piercer seemed to care at all about Jim's discomfort.
The relationship got better towards the second half of the book, and I feel like maybe there could have been something there, but I was already soured on it due to the non/dubcon way it started. The plot that seemed to be set up at the start and occasionally appeared throughout the book, of Jim dealing with a hate campaign against him after a false rape accusation, is never actually resolved. Instead it's sex scene after sex scene, which might not be an issue in a shorter book but this is nearly 500 pages of awkward scene transitions and no plot arc. It didn't help that the writing was pretty mediocre and in need of proofreading.
After only meeting a handful of times, Marcus insists that he "just knows" what Jim needs and that Jim doesn't actually mean it when he's screaming no and stop. Only several scenes later does he let Jim know what a safeword is and have him choose one. Later Marcus makes Jim get a tattoo and a piercing and steamrolls him both times when Jim says he doesn't want to, even when he nearly has a panic attack over it the second time. These scenes made me viscerally uncomfortable, since I feel that tattoos and piercings is something that someone should really want and never feel talked or pressured into getting, but neither Marcus nor the tattoo artist/piercer seemed to care at all about Jim's discomfort.
The relationship got better towards the second half of the book, and I feel like maybe there could have been something there, but I was already soured on it due to the non/dubcon way it started. The plot that seemed to be set up at the start and occasionally appeared throughout the book, of Jim dealing with a hate campaign against him after a false rape accusation, is never actually resolved. Instead it's sex scene after sex scene, which might not be an issue in a shorter book but this is nearly 500 pages of awkward scene transitions and no plot arc. It didn't help that the writing was pretty mediocre and in need of proofreading.
scarlett__r90's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this - though I can understand why others, perhaps, do not.
I don't think Marcus is abusive or cruel or anything like that at all - he is a Dom and he is good enough as a Dom, and as a reader of body language, etc, that he sees what Jim needs. Again, I understand why many wouldn't understand this element of their relationship and the difference between saying 'no' and safewording. I have mental health issues which are comparable with Jim's (but not the same) and it's true that sometimes you have to be pushed or encouraged into doing things that you may not want to do, but deep down you recognise as beneficial. Sometimes that's getting out of bed in the morning; sometimes it's talking things out or being honest, or something entirely different, but pushiness is *needed*. It's not sexual for me or connected to the lifestyle, unlike Jim and Marcus, but the same basic principle applies. We don't always do what is best for ourselves, even when we want to, and someone stepping in can make the difference. It reminds me of [b:Dirty Laundry|13432867|Dirty Laundry (COP Birthday Bash Free Short)|Heidi Cullinan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327785391s/13432867.jpg|23892324] and both books have men who have some issues, but who become happy and better able to cope with life due to a non-traditional lifestyle.
For me, 'Bent' shows all the things I love to read about connected to a D/s relationship, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. I love Sean Michael's books!
I don't think Marcus is abusive or cruel or anything like that at all - he is a Dom and he is good enough as a Dom, and as a reader of body language, etc, that he sees what Jim needs. Again, I understand why many wouldn't understand this element of their relationship and the difference between saying 'no' and safewording. I have mental health issues which are comparable with Jim's (but not the same) and it's true that sometimes you have to be pushed or encouraged into doing things that you may not want to do, but deep down you recognise as beneficial. Sometimes that's getting out of bed in the morning; sometimes it's talking things out or being honest, or something entirely different, but pushiness is *needed*. It's not sexual for me or connected to the lifestyle, unlike Jim and Marcus, but the same basic principle applies. We don't always do what is best for ourselves, even when we want to, and someone stepping in can make the difference. It reminds me of [b:Dirty Laundry|13432867|Dirty Laundry (COP Birthday Bash Free Short)|Heidi Cullinan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327785391s/13432867.jpg|23892324] and both books have men who have some issues, but who become happy and better able to cope with life due to a non-traditional lifestyle.
For me, 'Bent' shows all the things I love to read about connected to a D/s relationship, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. I love Sean Michael's books!
xeni's review
5.0
Aside from a lot of the issues I had with the reality of all this, I really enjoyed this book. I've been looking forward to reading it for months, then finally got free copy in one of allromanceebooks.com's giveaways.
One of my most favorite things was the continuous changing perspective between Jim (the sub) and Marcus (the dom). That was when I finally realized how few books write from a dom perspective. Or, at least, I have yet to really read any. Personally, the sub pov is much more interesting to me, but it's fun to see what's going on on the other side of the fence as well.
It was a great book all about the lifestyle (I suppose gay AND bdsm should be considered here) and I think I'll continue reading in this series if I ge the chance! I think that there's a lot more that can be done to bring the Hammer (the club) to the foreground!
One of my most favorite things was the continuous changing perspective between Jim (the sub) and Marcus (the dom). That was when I finally realized how few books write from a dom perspective. Or, at least, I have yet to really read any. Personally, the sub pov is much more interesting to me, but it's fun to see what's going on on the other side of the fence as well.
It was a great book all about the lifestyle (I suppose gay AND bdsm should be considered here) and I think I'll continue reading in this series if I ge the chance! I think that there's a lot more that can be done to bring the Hammer (the club) to the foreground!