Found

"Found" is a very good m/m (gay fiction) novel. I think it may be a great read not just for those who like BDSM-themed m/m books, but for all readers of m/m novels - this story about a handsome homeless man (formerly, a Native American from a reservation) picked up from the streets by gentle yet strong man / Dom is romantic, satisfying, engaging and sweet, with truly outstanding character development. This author (Sean Michael) is more often a "miss" than a "hit" for me, but this one was a definite "hit". Quite often, in his/her novels, there's a fair amount of shopping (for food), cooking and eating descriptions (as well as a lot of sex scenes, not that the latter bothers me...). This novel is no exception, but all this - the time characters spend shopping, eating, cooking or making love - felt natural in this novel, as it all helps to develop the relationship and trust between characters, and is very well described. Though "Found" is unambiguously romantic and sweet, the characters and situations are relatively realistic as well. The writing was OK too (better than some other novels by the same author, IMO), the style is simple, and not repetitive or overly wordy. The BDSM element/part is quite minor, but it feels very natural and even necessary to a certain degree in this novel. The only drawback to some readers: it's much more character- rather than plot-driven, and most of character development is happening with just one character, the one who is most scarred (figuratively and literally) and used to be homeless. There's a definite plot, but most of 400 pages of this book is spent on building the characters and their relationship (and well, sex scenes, but it's part of character / relationship development here :)... However, the novel does have A LOT of sex scenes, with fairly detailed descriptions). I found both main characters to be quite likable. Re: memorable sex scenes: there's a fairly long and really steamy fisting scene, very well presented. Also, at the end of the novel, there's a prolonged passionate sex sequence with some relatively mild (yet noticeably kinky) BDSM play. If character-driven m/m novels with contemporary settings is your "thing", certainly consider giving this one a try. (And it's a great return on the money too - for a fairly standard m/m novel price, you're getting almost 400 pages, filled with good dialogue, steamy sex scenes, convincing romance, and interesting characters...) I'm looking forward to the sequel of this novel, a recently released Snared.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS. Rating: 9/10 PROS: - The sub in this book is one of those rare(ish) characters who seems to actually NEED domination in order to function properly, as opposed to simply WANTING to be dominated because he gets off on it. - There's lots of conversation in the story. It's not just sex, sex, and more sex, as is the case with some other books by this author. There are a lot of bedroom scenes, sure, but it's a long book. - Lovely characters, quite similar to Peter and Sammy. Intriguing secondary characters, too: the book prompted me to look up the earlier volumes of Michael's Hammer series, and I was somewhat frustrated/dismayed to learn that the secondary characters I'm most interested in don't have their own books (at least that I've found). - Slow, gradual seduction. Billy has to convince Montana first to get clean, then to start a vanilla relationship with him, then to branch into BDSM games. The first sex scene isn't until about 100 pages in, although there's sexual tension leading up to that. And I think it's interesting to see someone established in the BDSM world trying to introduce someone else to the world. Most of the BDSM books I've read concern two people who are both already in the scene. CON: - I've read quite a few BDSM romances in the past year, so I'm getting the hang of them; but I still get a *little* squirmy when a character tells his/her partner to stop and the partner doesn't do it. However, most of me understands that in a scene, only a safeword really means "stop," so it didn't bother me terribly in this book. Tanny asks Billy to stop what he's doing a LOT, though, and Billy never does, so fair warning if that sort of thing makes you uneasy. Overall comments: I love Sammy and Peter from Michael's Between Friends series, and I saw so many similarities between them and Billy and Montana that I was hard-pressed not to love this book also. There's a decent amount of pretty graphic sex, as is the case in most of Michael's books, but the BDSM is not as deep/heavy as I was expecting it to be after seeing the handcuffs on the book's cover.