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The Heretic Doms Club #3
Spare the Rod
Gray Andino is a Denver cop with a pain kink and a history of falling in love with the wrong people. He’s jealous of his friends’ newfound happiness, but with a brain that won’t shut up and a need to argue everything, finding his own soul mate seems impossible, so he settles for meaningless sex and doling out pain with willing subs.
Subs like Avery Barron.
When Avery asks to stay with Gray for a few weeks, Gray reluctantly agrees. Avery may be the perfect sub, but as an accidental roommate, he sucks. The younger child of rich, indulgent parents, Avery is an entitled slob with a disdain for rules, a lack of ambition, and an obsession with social media. Gray tolerates his presence, but when Avery breaks one of Gray’s ground rules, he punishes him and takes away his phone.
Deprived of his usual echo chamber, Avery feels lost until he discovers a local Tap House, a piano, and his buried love of music. The more Avery plays, the more the community around him blossoms. For the first time in his life, Avery has a purpose and goals for the future. But the thing he longs for most -- Gray’s love and respect -- may be forever out of reach.
Subs like Avery Barron.
When Avery asks to stay with Gray for a few weeks, Gray reluctantly agrees. Avery may be the perfect sub, but as an accidental roommate, he sucks. The younger child of rich, indulgent parents, Avery is an entitled slob with a disdain for rules, a lack of ambition, and an obsession with social media. Gray tolerates his presence, but when Avery breaks one of Gray’s ground rules, he punishes him and takes away his phone.
Deprived of his usual echo chamber, Avery feels lost until he discovers a local Tap House, a piano, and his buried love of music. The more Avery plays, the more the community around him blossoms. For the first time in his life, Avery has a purpose and goals for the future. But the thing he longs for most -- Gray’s love and respect -- may be forever out of reach.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2019
About the author
Marie Sexton
56 books2,211 followersMarie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
The absolute best way to stay up-to-date on my books is by joining my FB group. You can view livestreams about Oestend, Coda, and the Heretic Doms Club. I also give away books on a regular basis. NO DRAMA ALLOWED!!
Or, you might want to check out these pages:
Coda: Which book do I read first?
Find a book by trope or heat level.
Visit my website/blog at http://www.MarieSexton.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
Read
January 10, 20201st attempt: 30th of Dec, 2019
On hold at 12%... I'm not DNFing yet.
Edit 9 Jan 2020:
Tried again. Reached 56% and I can't anymore.
Book, for f**k's sake...
It felt like I was returning to my favorite restaurant to eat my favorite dish, but the cook decided somehow to change the recipe and make it more whimsy, adding a bit of politics, with a dash of how social media can affect someone's judgement, and a sprinkle of how the media is controlling the public via the news, turning the dish from wholesome food to that fancy micro food no one eats. All points addressed in the book are valid theories and valid points of discussions.
But, listen.... I did not come to a series called The Heretic's Doms Club where we have as MC the most interesting character of all the Doms, to spend 70% of the book talking about politics, or about Trump, or how people can be sucked in body and soul by the latest Twitter outrage. I get this every day: at the coffee machine at work, on the street, at the family dinner table, when I meet with friends.
Call me superficial, but I came to the BDSM book of a sadist and a masochist for the BDSM and the sex. And when the sex came and I got half a page of "Gray and Avery went to the bedroom and had hard, blissful sex, the end", followed up by several pages of philosophy about some conspiracy theory, I felt cheated.
And you know what is funny? If this would have been Charlie's book, I wouldn't have had any problem with all the topics discussed in the book, because I would expect philosophical discussions in Charlie's book. But in Gray's book.... well... I expected fire.
If I would have finished this book, the rating would be 2.5.
On hold at 12%... I'm not DNFing yet.
Edit 9 Jan 2020:
Tried again. Reached 56% and I can't anymore.
Book, for f**k's sake...
It felt like I was returning to my favorite restaurant to eat my favorite dish, but the cook decided somehow to change the recipe and make it more whimsy, adding a bit of politics, with a dash of how social media can affect someone's judgement, and a sprinkle of how the media is controlling the public via the news, turning the dish from wholesome food to that fancy micro food no one eats. All points addressed in the book are valid theories and valid points of discussions.
But, listen.... I did not come to a series called The Heretic's Doms Club where we have as MC the most interesting character of all the Doms, to spend 70% of the book talking about politics, or about Trump, or how people can be sucked in body and soul by the latest Twitter outrage. I get this every day: at the coffee machine at work, on the street, at the family dinner table, when I meet with friends.
Call me superficial, but I came to the BDSM book of a sadist and a masochist for the BDSM and the sex. And when the sex came and I got half a page of "Gray and Avery went to the bedroom and had hard, blissful sex, the end", followed up by several pages of philosophy about some conspiracy theory, I felt cheated.
And you know what is funny? If this would have been Charlie's book, I wouldn't have had any problem with all the topics discussed in the book, because I would expect philosophical discussions in Charlie's book. But in Gray's book.... well... I expected fire.
If I would have finished this book, the rating would be 2.5.
Read
December 16, 2019***There's no plot spoilers below, but read at your own risk in any case***
So I stayed up all night reading Spare the Rod. I love the previous books, especially Terms of Service, and I literally couldn’t wait to see what ‘outlaw’ Gray’s story would look like. Marie Sexton is amazing writing the dynamics of her Heretics, those kinky, non-monogamous, flawed, charming weirdos, and Gray’s birthday party is the best example of that--because we see it all through the eyes of bratty, cynical, insecure Avery, who has no idea what he’s walked into and where his place is in the group. It was an amazing set-up full of tension and character development, and I couldn’t wait to see Avery get his comeuppance and see how he grows. We learn some interesting details about Gray’s inner life early on, setting up a number of conflicts that have to be overcome.
One of the reasons I loved the previous books is that they are kind of subversive compared to other books in the genre, with insecure, imperfect characters who often let their dicks make decisions for them--it’s great, it seems real, because in real life, people sometimes have sex without protection, in real life, people follow their impulses though it’s not necessarily a good decision, in real life, not everyone holds heteronormative values. There’s consequences to the characters’ decisions, but Sexton develops each character extremely well. She takes her time and lets the relationships get messy and sad and complicated and gives her characters space to grow, but pulls the threads together at the end, and leaves the reader with a really satisfying happy end, where there’s earned pathos and feelings seems real. So she gives us kinky, sexy, romantic fantasy that seems realistic and well-earned.
Make no mistake: it’s still romance, still a fantasy. It takes a really good writer to straddle that line between refreshing realism and comforting fantasy. There’s glimpses of it in Spare the Rod, and the way the main characters of the previous books are weaved in is so well-done, we see a closeness between the characters that is stronger than in previous books, and like I said above, the dynamics are great, they are not shooed in for the sake of it.
But something happens in Spare the Rod: the book becomes a lecture. Character and plot development (and all the above-mentioned conflicts and tension) are sacrificed for an analysis of social media and the current state of politics. There’s pages of sermonizing about Twitter, about the media, about the state of politics and political dialogue. These passages make the plot come to a screeching halt every time they appear. They read like think-pieces and sermons, the author’s voice imposes itself on the narrative in a very blatant and distracting way. There’s an agenda, and the relationship development is sacrificed in order to serve it. That line between reality and fantasy is crushed into oblivion. If the previous books were 'heretical' within the tropes and norms of the genre, this one is 'heretical' on a meta-level.
I generally don’t disagree with a lot of the points that Sexton makes--there are some valid themes being raised (though her answer to the questions posed is too simplistic imho), but I don’t read romance to get a political education, or a lecture about the problems with twitter. I don’t mind a political slant, but there’s more effective ways to incorporate them--all these themes could have easily been woven into the story without the brow-beating. It took me out of the story, it made me roll my eyes at later plot developments because they were so obviously illustrating a point. Because the middle section was so encumbered by these issues, for the first time in this series, the happy ending seemed rushed and unearned.
So I stayed up all night reading Spare the Rod. I love the previous books, especially Terms of Service, and I literally couldn’t wait to see what ‘outlaw’ Gray’s story would look like. Marie Sexton is amazing writing the dynamics of her Heretics, those kinky, non-monogamous, flawed, charming weirdos, and Gray’s birthday party is the best example of that--because we see it all through the eyes of bratty, cynical, insecure Avery, who has no idea what he’s walked into and where his place is in the group. It was an amazing set-up full of tension and character development, and I couldn’t wait to see Avery get his comeuppance and see how he grows. We learn some interesting details about Gray’s inner life early on, setting up a number of conflicts that have to be overcome.
One of the reasons I loved the previous books is that they are kind of subversive compared to other books in the genre, with insecure, imperfect characters who often let their dicks make decisions for them--it’s great, it seems real, because in real life, people sometimes have sex without protection, in real life, people follow their impulses though it’s not necessarily a good decision, in real life, not everyone holds heteronormative values. There’s consequences to the characters’ decisions, but Sexton develops each character extremely well. She takes her time and lets the relationships get messy and sad and complicated and gives her characters space to grow, but pulls the threads together at the end, and leaves the reader with a really satisfying happy end, where there’s earned pathos and feelings seems real. So she gives us kinky, sexy, romantic fantasy that seems realistic and well-earned.
Make no mistake: it’s still romance, still a fantasy. It takes a really good writer to straddle that line between refreshing realism and comforting fantasy. There’s glimpses of it in Spare the Rod, and the way the main characters of the previous books are weaved in is so well-done, we see a closeness between the characters that is stronger than in previous books, and like I said above, the dynamics are great, they are not shooed in for the sake of it.
But something happens in Spare the Rod: the book becomes a lecture. Character and plot development (and all the above-mentioned conflicts and tension) are sacrificed for an analysis of social media and the current state of politics. There’s pages of sermonizing about Twitter, about the media, about the state of politics and political dialogue. These passages make the plot come to a screeching halt every time they appear. They read like think-pieces and sermons, the author’s voice imposes itself on the narrative in a very blatant and distracting way. There’s an agenda, and the relationship development is sacrificed in order to serve it. That line between reality and fantasy is crushed into oblivion. If the previous books were 'heretical' within the tropes and norms of the genre, this one is 'heretical' on a meta-level.
I generally don’t disagree with a lot of the points that Sexton makes--there are some valid themes being raised (though her answer to the questions posed is too simplistic imho), but I don’t read romance to get a political education, or a lecture about the problems with twitter. I don’t mind a political slant, but there’s more effective ways to incorporate them--all these themes could have easily been woven into the story without the brow-beating. It took me out of the story, it made me roll my eyes at later plot developments because they were so obviously illustrating a point. Because the middle section was so encumbered by these issues, for the first time in this series, the happy ending seemed rushed and unearned.
September 21, 2020
I'M FINALLY FREE! ONE OF THE WORST READING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.
Spare the Rod was just this big blob of meh. I have a lot to say because I typed my actual review on my Notes app but at the same time I don't want to dwell anymore in this. My problem wasn't the BDSM or the sex or whatever but all other things. It exhausted me. My eyes kept rolling.
Spare the Rod was just this big blob of meh. I have a lot to say because I typed my actual review on my Notes app but at the same time I don't want to dwell anymore in this. My problem wasn't the BDSM or the sex or whatever but all other things. It exhausted me. My eyes kept rolling.
February 28, 2020
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
If not for the cast of characters, I would wonder if this book was part of The Heretic Doms Club series. I like it when authors make each book in a series unique to the others, but this one almost felt out of place.
This is the book I was looking forward to the most because of Gray. There was something so intense and mysterious about him in the other two books that really peaked my interest. I’m not going to say I was disappointed by his character, but he turned out to be more ordinary than I expected. Plus, the story seemed to focus so much more on Avery, Gray’s love interest, and the evils of social media. I get it; social media seems to divide more than it unites people.
The crazy thing is, even though Gray’s book didn’t live up to my expectations, I still mostly enjoyed the story and loved catching up with the other couples.
Story - 4 Stars
If not for the cast of characters, I would wonder if this book was part of The Heretic Doms Club series. I like it when authors make each book in a series unique to the others, but this one almost felt out of place.
This is the book I was looking forward to the most because of Gray. There was something so intense and mysterious about him in the other two books that really peaked my interest. I’m not going to say I was disappointed by his character, but he turned out to be more ordinary than I expected. Plus, the story seemed to focus so much more on Avery, Gray’s love interest, and the evils of social media. I get it; social media seems to divide more than it unites people.
The crazy thing is, even though Gray’s book didn’t live up to my expectations, I still mostly enjoyed the story and loved catching up with the other couples.
![Profile Image for Kati *☆･ﾟ [a bit distracted atm].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1725834613i/144158876._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
March 13, 2024
4.5***** stars
Huh! Although I was excited for Gray’s story I was hesitant to pick it up because it is the least beloved book in the series according to the ratings. But it looks like the books with the lower ratings seem to do it for me especially.
Before I started the series I wasn’t even sure if I would enjoy a romance featuring a sadist and a masochist at all. Especially when it comes to the sadist.
But… I loved this book. I loved the romance. I loved the tension between them. I loved getting to know Gray a lot better, I loved meeting Avery and seeing his character evolve and change from a spoiled, angry brat to this:
This book is long. And it happens so much that the events of the beginning felt like it happened ages ago or in another book completely. It was a ride.
I loved the book’s message the author wanted to get across which I find is an important one in general, especially in times of social media. This book is fiction but it might as well be a true story still. In any way the discussion this book centers around def encourages thinking.
I love that all the other guys of the Heretic Dom’s Club are such an important part in all these books instead of mere side characters.
And (and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea) I loooooove the sharing scenes. Not only in this book but in all of them. They are playful and so hot. And they feel intimate and special and safe for all of them, probably because they are such tight friends.
All in all so far these books and the relationships these characters form are unconventional, even for kinky romance’s standards I’d say, and I find that makes them even more intriguing and enjoyable.
side note: this book is full of annoying errors and typos as well (not as much as in book 2 tho) but I decided to not make it an issue with my rating.
************
The Heretic Doms Club
Book 1 - One Man’s Trash - 4.5 stars ♡
Book 2 - Terms of Service - 3.5 stars
Book 3 - Spare the Rod - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - No Good Deed - tbr
Huh! Although I was excited for Gray’s story I was hesitant to pick it up because it is the least beloved book in the series according to the ratings. But it looks like the books with the lower ratings seem to do it for me especially.
Before I started the series I wasn’t even sure if I would enjoy a romance featuring a sadist and a masochist at all. Especially when it comes to the sadist.
But… I loved this book. I loved the romance. I loved the tension between them. I loved getting to know Gray a lot better, I loved meeting Avery and seeing his character evolve and change from a spoiled, angry brat to this:
“You are the calm in the center of my storm, Avery.”
This book is long. And it happens so much that the events of the beginning felt like it happened ages ago or in another book completely. It was a ride.
I loved the book’s message the author wanted to get across which I find is an important one in general, especially in times of social media. This book is fiction but it might as well be a true story still. In any way the discussion this book centers around def encourages thinking.
I love that all the other guys of the Heretic Dom’s Club are such an important part in all these books instead of mere side characters.
And (and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea) I loooooove the sharing scenes. Not only in this book but in all of them. They are playful and so hot. And they feel intimate and special and safe for all of them, probably because they are such tight friends.
All in all so far these books and the relationships these characters form are unconventional, even for kinky romance’s standards I’d say, and I find that makes them even more intriguing and enjoyable.
side note: this book is full of annoying errors and typos as well (not as much as in book 2 tho) but I decided to not make it an issue with my rating.
************
The Heretic Doms Club
Book 1 - One Man’s Trash - 4.5 stars ♡
Book 2 - Terms of Service - 3.5 stars
Book 3 - Spare the Rod - 4.5 stars
Book 4 - No Good Deed - tbr
December 22, 2019
Gave it 5 stars to counterbalance an unjustified 1 star rating before this book is released, I will update when I read it. I love this series and I'm looking forward to the book :)
Edit : Christmas holidays just started, and I was finally able to read Spare the Rod. I feel a little conflicted about how to rate it, but I settled on 3.5 (rounded to 4).
No spoilers ahead, just my thoughts about this book :
Not my favorite of the series. While I loved the other books, I liked this one but I found some of the choices Marie Sexton made took away from my experience.
I actually agree with most of her ideas / views on social medias and its issues, but it felt odd (even misplaced) in a romance book. Or maybe they could have been better integrated into the plot, in a more subtle show-but-don't-tell way and taking up less of the story ? I did root for Gray and Avery (once Avery became more likable), but the focus on the main romantic storyline was taken away by the more political views expressed throughout the book.
Although this wasn't (in my opinion) Marie Sexton's best book, I did like it, and I am still looking forward to more books of this series. Hopefully the next one, Charlie's story, will be a 5 star read :)
Edit : Christmas holidays just started, and I was finally able to read Spare the Rod. I feel a little conflicted about how to rate it, but I settled on 3.5 (rounded to 4).
No spoilers ahead, just my thoughts about this book :
Not my favorite of the series. While I loved the other books, I liked this one but I found some of the choices Marie Sexton made took away from my experience.
I actually agree with most of her ideas / views on social medias and its issues, but it felt odd (even misplaced) in a romance book. Or maybe they could have been better integrated into the plot, in a more subtle show-but-don't-tell way and taking up less of the story ? I did root for Gray and Avery (once Avery became more likable), but the focus on the main romantic storyline was taken away by the more political views expressed throughout the book.
Although this wasn't (in my opinion) Marie Sexton's best book, I did like it, and I am still looking forward to more books of this series. Hopefully the next one, Charlie's story, will be a 5 star read :)
March 22, 2020
It's no secret that the BDSM trope is my least favorite romance story. But every so often one comes along that I really enjoy, like the first book in this series. I waited a long time to try book 2 because I didn't think it would be the kind of story I enjoy. Eventually I gave it a try, but unfortunately it was a quick dnf for me.
Not giving up on the series, I jumped into book 3. Funny enough, the lower reviews from my friends made me more likely to read it since it seemed likely it might be an offbeat BDSM story. One I'd be more likely to enjoy.
I'm not saying it was smooth sailing, and oh my god, it was way too long, but I DID enjoy this story. The BDSM aspect is possed as a sexual preference instead of as a lifestyle choice. The deeper message in the story is that mental compatibility is as important, if not more so, than sexual compatibility in a relationship.
I found myself agreeing with most of the tenants in the story. I especially found the enlightenment and redemption of a smart young man who had been lost in today's social media overload to be uplifting.
I can understand why readers looking for a strictly BDSM story may have found this one dragging somewhat. But for me, it was that aspect of it that made the story richer and therefore more enjoyable.
It's really a shame that this book is so full of typos and errors. A good story deserves a good editor and readers deserve a good product to spend their limited free time on.
Not giving up on the series, I jumped into book 3. Funny enough, the lower reviews from my friends made me more likely to read it since it seemed likely it might be an offbeat BDSM story. One I'd be more likely to enjoy.
I'm not saying it was smooth sailing, and oh my god, it was way too long, but I DID enjoy this story. The BDSM aspect is possed as a sexual preference instead of as a lifestyle choice. The deeper message in the story is that mental compatibility is as important, if not more so, than sexual compatibility in a relationship.
I found myself agreeing with most of the tenants in the story. I especially found the enlightenment and redemption of a smart young man who had been lost in today's social media overload to be uplifting.
I can understand why readers looking for a strictly BDSM story may have found this one dragging somewhat. But for me, it was that aspect of it that made the story richer and therefore more enjoyable.
It's really a shame that this book is so full of typos and errors. A good story deserves a good editor and readers deserve a good product to spend their limited free time on.
January 9, 2020
2.5 “what the hell?” stars
I think the word I’m trying to find here is....disappointing. There was just so much standing on the soap-box that, for me, the romance fell by the way side.
I did enjoy just how much the author made me loathe Avery for the first 45% though. Every time he opened his mouth, and every thought in his head, made me recoil. I hated him. It was refreshing to find that Gray, even though he was initially attracted to Avery, once he got to know him he found him unattractive because of his personality. It made for an interesting character arc.
But the politics. The opinions. The political correctness. The moral high-ground. While I initially enjoyed the banter, it got old fast. And I agree with a lot of the opinions...I just don’t want to have them continually bashed over my head for 3/4 of a book. Where was the romance? There were some really great moments but overall it got lost in between the ranting.
I liked the bones of this and there was a wonderful underlying theme of family and community and being present but this was not something I’ll reread.
And if Charlie ends up with Derik in book 4 I’m out.
I think the word I’m trying to find here is....disappointing. There was just so much standing on the soap-box that, for me, the romance fell by the way side.
I did enjoy just how much the author made me loathe Avery for the first 45% though. Every time he opened his mouth, and every thought in his head, made me recoil. I hated him. It was refreshing to find that Gray, even though he was initially attracted to Avery, once he got to know him he found him unattractive because of his personality. It made for an interesting character arc.
But the politics. The opinions. The political correctness. The moral high-ground. While I initially enjoyed the banter, it got old fast. And I agree with a lot of the opinions...I just don’t want to have them continually bashed over my head for 3/4 of a book. Where was the romance? There were some really great moments but overall it got lost in between the ranting.
I liked the bones of this and there was a wonderful underlying theme of family and community and being present but this was not something I’ll reread.
And if Charlie ends up with Derik in book 4 I’m out.
Shelved as 'dnf'
December 24, 2019DNF at 24%. Sorry, little book.
It's not that I disagree with the message of the book. I had my fair share of encounters with woker-than-thou assholes exactly like Avery over the last few weeks. What I don't like is that it's not done well. I would have been fine (I think) if there had been more showing instead of telling but the way the characters are drawn, they feel more like caricatures than real people and quite frankly, I dislike them both enormously. I don't see that this is going to change any time soon, so I'll throw in the towel.
It's a pity because, even though I had some problems with the other books in the series, I really liked them. The characters, flawed as they were, felt real enough to me. Avery and Gray - not so much. I just couldn't connect with them. That might be different for other people, so by all means, if you liked the other books - get the sample and see for yourself.
It's not that I disagree with the message of the book. I had my fair share of encounters with woker-than-thou assholes exactly like Avery over the last few weeks. What I don't like is that it's not done well. I would have been fine (I think) if there had been more showing instead of telling but the way the characters are drawn, they feel more like caricatures than real people and quite frankly, I dislike them both enormously. I don't see that this is going to change any time soon, so I'll throw in the towel.
It's a pity because, even though I had some problems with the other books in the series, I really liked them. The characters, flawed as they were, felt real enough to me. Avery and Gray - not so much. I just couldn't connect with them. That might be different for other people, so by all means, if you liked the other books - get the sample and see for yourself.
November 12, 2021
Mixing social commentary with the romance storyline could have worked if it was handled with a lighter touch. Instead this instalment came across as a lecture in the evils of social media.
December 19, 2019
I had a long list of things I wanted to say, instead I'm keeping it short.This is a good book. It's just not romance. It's more of a study. With romantic and BDSM elements thrown in.
I agreed with everything that was said here. From social media use to the political stuff and the media twisting things. It's all true. I don't think anyone should take offense, if you do, well... then you should look into the mirror. Some of this stuff I already knew and thought it was evident, especially regarding social media. Therefore I found the first half of the book boring. I also didn't like Avery, at all. But I'm certain that was intentional. I just couldn't see how Gray and Avery would go from hating each other to... not. They had nothing in common.
The second half got better. More romance, more bdsm. Honestly I thought Gray's book will be more about the sado-maso world, but it wasn't. It's heavily political, but it wasn't even about that, it's more about how people are unwilling to keep an open mind.
I also realize, without the first half, the second half wouldn't have made sense.
The ending was a bit cheesy and a little unlike Gray. But at least I ended up liking Avery.
I agreed with everything that was said here. From social media use to the political stuff and the media twisting things. It's all true. I don't think anyone should take offense, if you do, well... then you should look into the mirror. Some of this stuff I already knew and thought it was evident, especially regarding social media. Therefore I found the first half of the book boring. I also didn't like Avery, at all. But I'm certain that was intentional. I just couldn't see how Gray and Avery would go from hating each other to... not. They had nothing in common.
The second half got better. More romance, more bdsm. Honestly I thought Gray's book will be more about the sado-maso world, but it wasn't. It's heavily political, but it wasn't even about that, it's more about how people are unwilling to keep an open mind.
I also realize, without the first half, the second half wouldn't have made sense.
The ending was a bit cheesy and a little unlike Gray. But at least I ended up liking Avery.
October 11, 2020
After letting the dust settle in my brain ...
This book straddles two worlds or genres. One is a BDSM romance between a sadist & a masochist and the other is a tract on our current, toxic, sociopolitical climate, particularly as pertains to the echo chamber of Social Media. The balance is 30/70 romance to social commentary which ended up working for me but I can see how it'd be unsatisfactory to the pure romance reader. Lastly reading this series in order is definitely a plus/must.
I went into this story with some trepidation because, though I don't ever intentionally hate read, Doms, particularly sadists, are hard for me to love and going by the previous books, I knew Gray was going to test me. In the end he turned out to be exactly who I thought he'd be which was satisfying and annoying at once.
Avery is your average, rudderless twenty-five year old, flitting from one thing to another. When his parents won't put up with him anymore Gray ends up taking him in. Gray does so as a favor to his mother's colleague but he's also getting a live-in masochist on who to rain down his sadism. Win. Win. Right? Hmmm ...
Avery is who he is, one of the millions on one side or another of the latest Twitter drama, militantly sure of being in the right, deaf & blind to other points of view, and sometimes an active participant in trolling/canceling/harassing those considered to be wrong. Gray grew up in a family where arguing every side of an issue is done for sport. Another name for this book could be The Education of Avery Barron. Generally I liked it but there's an imbalance in the romance that bugged me along with the continued dynamics of Doms & subs from the previous books.
At first Gray is thrilled to have a willing sub to use however he pleases and Avery is happy to have a place to live, get all the attention (sexual) he seeks, play videos, and fight for social justice from the comfort of his sofa. Inevitably cohabitation reveals the roommates to each other, the sex stops, and Avery's residency at Gray's is hanging by a thread. Things come to a head and Avery turns a corner.
Avery does a fair amount self examination, makes new friends, loses others, revisits old joys and in short changes himself. His transformation isn't easy, he's forced to lay himself bare not just to others but to himself, which can oft times be harder. I'm happy for him. Maturing and evolving is something to aspire to. That he does so seeking the approval of Gray Andino just proves that good things can come from the most unexpected corners.
Gray isn't a bad guy but I'm not sure we'd ever be friends. What does he bring to the table besides sadism? Does he deserve Avery? He's still coveting Taylor, fondling him whenever he gets a chance. This is excused/condoned as being gay men in the BDSM lifestyle and just generally not adhering heteronormative relationship strictures. I'm fine with that and very much appreciate that the author doesn't sugarcoat them to appease romancelandia. My problem, as far as Taylor, is that it's been established that Taylor uses sex to mask or put a band-aid on the gaping hole of his mental/emotional problems. Secondly Gray's been secretly pining for one of best friends. Whaaat? While Avery turns himself inside out to appeal to him Gray only notices when his friends point it out. Other than questioning EVERYTHING, which I can applaud, it's never clear WHAT Gray stands for. Next there's the group poker parties in one of which Avery has to atone for past sins & pass an initiation. It sat heavy with me. For one I felt that Avery was with this group because they were the friends of the guy who took him in, not friends he would've chosen for himself. The random use of each others subs always feels a bit icky: Warren stays apart clearly no longer comfortable with it; Taylor confessed to River that he never considered them friends (the Doms in the group) because of the expectations of sex (this was in the previous book). How sad is that? River tries to explain things to Avery, how choosing to obey and following orders is different because the sub retains the power and it's a gift from the sub to allow the Dom to believe himself in control "It's not just choosing to obey. It's chosing him, above all else." This led my brain down a maze of thoughts too long to ponder here.
Finally there's Gray the sadist who supposedly comes to love Avery. Perhaps he does, after discarding or being disappointed in other expectations, after Avery transforms himself and is accepted by the sisterhood, after a few bad turns in his own life. To me it seemed a conditional love, the opposite of Warren's love for Taylor, contingent on Avery thinking like Gray and his friends, and being his willing victim. Examples:
"His restless, raging brain was quiet, finally silenced by the thrill of having this small, helpless person at his mercy."
"Gray's stil-damp hair was stiff and frozen by the time he stepped through his front door. He wanted to grab a beer and spend half an hour venting about how unfair it felt. Or maybe he'd just grab a crop and take it all out on Avery's back.
Anyway, despite this long ass gripe I liked this. I like it because of the flawed and complicated MC. Because they reflect RL. My inner sadist likes that Gray got his comeuppance, though I suspect that's what brought him to Jesus or rather realizing what he had in Avery. Maybe the author could've gone another route, making the social commentary aspect shorter but still getting her point across. Maybe one day I'll love Doms. Miracles happen. Meanwhile John Solo continues to deliver in spades.
This book straddles two worlds or genres. One is a BDSM romance between a sadist & a masochist and the other is a tract on our current, toxic, sociopolitical climate, particularly as pertains to the echo chamber of Social Media. The balance is 30/70 romance to social commentary which ended up working for me but I can see how it'd be unsatisfactory to the pure romance reader. Lastly reading this series in order is definitely a plus/must.
I went into this story with some trepidation because, though I don't ever intentionally hate read, Doms, particularly sadists, are hard for me to love and going by the previous books, I knew Gray was going to test me. In the end he turned out to be exactly who I thought he'd be which was satisfying and annoying at once.
Avery is your average, rudderless twenty-five year old, flitting from one thing to another. When his parents won't put up with him anymore Gray ends up taking him in. Gray does so as a favor to his mother's colleague but he's also getting a live-in masochist on who to rain down his sadism. Win. Win. Right? Hmmm ...
Avery is who he is, one of the millions on one side or another of the latest Twitter drama, militantly sure of being in the right, deaf & blind to other points of view, and sometimes an active participant in trolling/canceling/harassing those considered to be wrong. Gray grew up in a family where arguing every side of an issue is done for sport. Another name for this book could be The Education of Avery Barron. Generally I liked it but there's an imbalance in the romance that bugged me along with the continued dynamics of Doms & subs from the previous books.
At first Gray is thrilled to have a willing sub to use however he pleases and Avery is happy to have a place to live, get all the attention (sexual) he seeks, play videos, and fight for social justice from the comfort of his sofa. Inevitably cohabitation reveals the roommates to each other, the sex stops, and Avery's residency at Gray's is hanging by a thread. Things come to a head and Avery turns a corner.
Avery does a fair amount self examination, makes new friends, loses others, revisits old joys and in short changes himself. His transformation isn't easy, he's forced to lay himself bare not just to others but to himself, which can oft times be harder. I'm happy for him. Maturing and evolving is something to aspire to. That he does so seeking the approval of Gray Andino just proves that good things can come from the most unexpected corners.
Gray isn't a bad guy but I'm not sure we'd ever be friends. What does he bring to the table besides sadism? Does he deserve Avery? He's still coveting Taylor, fondling him whenever he gets a chance. This is excused/condoned as being gay men in the BDSM lifestyle and just generally not adhering heteronormative relationship strictures. I'm fine with that and very much appreciate that the author doesn't sugarcoat them to appease romancelandia. My problem, as far as Taylor, is that it's been established that Taylor uses sex to mask or put a band-aid on the gaping hole of his mental/emotional problems. Secondly Gray's been secretly pining for one of best friends. Whaaat? While Avery turns himself inside out to appeal to him Gray only notices when his friends point it out. Other than questioning EVERYTHING, which I can applaud, it's never clear WHAT Gray stands for. Next there's the group poker parties in one of which Avery has to atone for past sins & pass an initiation. It sat heavy with me. For one I felt that Avery was with this group because they were the friends of the guy who took him in, not friends he would've chosen for himself. The random use of each others subs always feels a bit icky: Warren stays apart clearly no longer comfortable with it; Taylor confessed to River that he never considered them friends (the Doms in the group) because of the expectations of sex (this was in the previous book). How sad is that? River tries to explain things to Avery, how choosing to obey and following orders is different because the sub retains the power and it's a gift from the sub to allow the Dom to believe himself in control "It's not just choosing to obey. It's chosing him, above all else." This led my brain down a maze of thoughts too long to ponder here.
Finally there's Gray the sadist who supposedly comes to love Avery. Perhaps he does, after discarding or being disappointed in other expectations, after Avery transforms himself and is accepted by the sisterhood, after a few bad turns in his own life. To me it seemed a conditional love, the opposite of Warren's love for Taylor, contingent on Avery thinking like Gray and his friends, and being his willing victim. Examples:
"His restless, raging brain was quiet, finally silenced by the thrill of having this small, helpless person at his mercy."
"Gray's stil-damp hair was stiff and frozen by the time he stepped through his front door. He wanted to grab a beer and spend half an hour venting about how unfair it felt. Or maybe he'd just grab a crop and take it all out on Avery's back.
Anyway, despite this long ass gripe I liked this. I like it because of the flawed and complicated MC. Because they reflect RL. My inner sadist likes that Gray got his comeuppance, though I suspect that's what brought him to Jesus or rather realizing what he had in Avery. Maybe the author could've gone another route, making the social commentary aspect shorter but still getting her point across. Maybe one day I'll love Doms. Miracles happen. Meanwhile John Solo continues to deliver in spades.
November 14, 2021
It was difficult to get through this book, but I did it to write an accurate, honest review. Spare the Rod was a colossal disappointment. I expected a romance similar to the first two in the series, but it is nothing of the kind. This book is less of a romance and more of a political lecture. It would be difficult to write a modern, realistic story that takes place in the US and not mention politics, but this was more than a mention. The reader is beaten over the head with the author’s political views again and again and again. And most disturbing is that the author’s viewpoint was purposely told through the most unlikely of fictional characters with a lot of misleading information. I am sickened that this author thought it was okay to voice her views through characters who are harmed by her views.
As for what existed of the romance itself, that fell completely short. I was baffled as to what Avery could possibly see in Gray. The chemistry was non-existent, and Avery had to change his world view to be worthy of Gray’s love. EW! The climax of the story was ridiculous. There was no clear reason for the protests over the statue and the fallout from the events was cartoonishly not believable. This story was so far from what I have come to expect from the author, that I am still reeling in disbelief.
I highly recommend skipping this one.
As for what existed of the romance itself, that fell completely short. I was baffled as to what Avery could possibly see in Gray. The chemistry was non-existent, and Avery had to change his world view to be worthy of Gray’s love. EW! The climax of the story was ridiculous. There was no clear reason for the protests over the statue and the fallout from the events was cartoonishly not believable. This story was so far from what I have come to expect from the author, that I am still reeling in disbelief.
I highly recommend skipping this one.
October 11, 2021
For a book that preaches so much about "logic and argumentation" there was surprisingly little of it in this book. Avery, our MC, is basically a strawman of the ""extreme left"". I use scare quotes because Sexton wrote him and his best friend (Derek? idc) to the point of such parody that it feels disingenuous to even call these characters leftists. As a book about politics, Spare the Rod is laughably lacking in nuance and (ironically) does a poor job of arguing its extreme centrism. As a book about romance, there is suspiciously little actual romance. Avery gets beat by Gray as punishment and the proceeds to hide and avoid him, and yet in his narration he's ready to drop the L word? There's no build up, there's no mutual give and take in their relationship, and it ends up feeling quite hollow. What results is a book full of infuriatingly wishy-washy politics, almost no romance, and a couple lackluster sex scenes.
Okay, now's time for my political corner. Regardless of the merits of the book, I want to address some of the arguments and messages that Sexton puts forward here, since I think they are both topical and worrisome.
One thing I can't stop thinking about is how Marie Sexton frames protests and protesters. I recently also read "Roped In" by Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt and a similar theme of anti-protest emerged there and her message there was similarly passive. If you are living under a rock (or are reading this at a later date) we are currently experiencing huge amounts of protest and political unrest in North America. Since the murder of George Floyd by the police in Minneapolis, Black Lives Matter supporters have been protesting police brutality and systemic racial bias, calling for the defunding of police departments and even for the abolishment of police as a whole. These protests have been met with excessive force by police and white militia alike. Hundreds of videos have surfaced of police attacking and abusing protestors (including shooting journalists and press, shoving old men onto hard pavement and leaving them to bleed out, beating teenage girls with batons, and kidnapping people into unmarked vans) as well as white vigilantes showing up at protests with guns, rubbing elbows with cops and terrorizing protestors. Violence against protesters, by both cops and other civilians, has been rampant. Think of the Charlottesville car attack, killing Heather Heyer, and more recently: the news of a 17 year old member of a pro-cop militia gunning down three protesters and killing two. The anti-protest sentiment in America is more than just pernicious, it has been deadly.
So given that context, let's reexamine the text. Obviously, the protest in Spare the Rod is (like so much of this book) trivialized to the point of farce. A statue of a Titanic survivor who was a philanthropist, erected by a private organization that was dedicated to her memory. Everyone in the novel (except the extremist crazies) thinks the situation is trivial and meaningless. But despite the inane nature of Sexton's situation, one can't help but draw parallels between this and common protests surrounding Confederate statues. The most noteworthy real-world protests surrounding the preservation (vs. removal) of confederate statues lead to the now infamous Charlottesville riot, when Alt-Right Neo-Nazis (and though I know Sexton accuses all online bad actors of calling everyone nazis, what else do you call a congregation of white men carrying swastikas and chanting "Jews will not replace us"?) protested the removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee, a confederate general. The riot resulted in the death of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old counter protester, after a member of the racist mob from the night before ran his car directly into a line of protesters. The situation is extremely similar to the situation presented in Sexton's book, except the central conflict of the statues is purposefully trivial. Rather, what Sexton says (both in this book, and in "Roped In") is that protesting is useless and protesters are pointless trouble starters, trying to stir the pot about issues that no one cares about. This disdain towards protest and protesters permeates her books. But in real life, issues really aren't that clear cut. People protesting a literal Nazi mob (or even, from the other side, people organizing those same pro-Nazi marches) or protesting the police shooting unarmed Black men are not doing it for trivial reasons. Protests are a potent form of political speech, and Sexton's trivialization of them is both insidious and, in my opinion, dangerous. Sexton refuses to actually meet protestors on the merits of their plight (which has mostly been surrounding the systemic racism in America) but rather turns them all into strawmen, who are easily mocked and ridiculed. In doing so, she says that protesting is a useless play of spectacle, and rather people should focus on (i guess) hanging out in tap rooms and just talking to each other and spreading ~love~. What isn't addressed is how is talking to people in the pub going to curtail the systemic problem of police brutality, specifically against members of the black community. What isn't addressed is how exactly do the unheard downtrodden get seen, in light of institutionalized forces (such as qualified immunity) expunging killer cops of ever being even charged, let alone ever facing consequences for their actions?
Sexton discusses her frustration with the political system (particularly the two-party system of the States), arguing that the parties will never care about their constituents or change their ways. But that is exactly the point of protest: to force politicians to address serious issues within communities that are not getting their due consideration. Unfortunately, Sexton doesn't consider this valid political action, it seems. Rather, what Sexton seems to be calling for is radical passivity. This, combined with her palpable distaste for protesters is a worrisome combination, especially in light of the actual current social landscape.
Protesters have been met with increasing violence across the United States, and Sexton's cavalier dismissal of their plight, her trivialization of their goals, and her call for passivity in the political sphere not only undermine the efforts of groups like Black Lives Matter, they promote victim blaming mentalities when tragedies like Heather Heyer and the murders in Kenosha do happen.
I'm not calling Marie Sexton a Nazi, but I am critical of the messages that she is trying to disseminate. I think that messages such as hers are pernicious and cause real harm to both people and the political system as a whole.
Sidenote: what the fuck was up with all the weird climate denial in this book lol???? I literally can't stop thinking about it, it's been more than a year since I read this and I just can't get over the horrible misinformation that she peddles about climate change at one point. The argumentation is just.... SO BAD. Like conspiracy level drivel presented completely straight from a guy who claims to be an expert on the subject, it is literally so bizarre and heinous tbh. Like Marie Sexton is over here going like "Ah yes, Big Green Energy, who are just so powerful and lucrative that they force academics into publishing fake science so they can profit off all that sweet sweet solar energy profits. Because we all know Green Energy has way more lobbying power than those poor small-time oil conglomerates, will no one think of the little guy who's being exploited here?" Absolute drivel I can't stand it lmao. And of course all of this just goes completely unchallenged god I hate this horrible, horrible book.
Okay, now's time for my political corner. Regardless of the merits of the book, I want to address some of the arguments and messages that Sexton puts forward here, since I think they are both topical and worrisome.
One thing I can't stop thinking about is how Marie Sexton frames protests and protesters. I recently also read "Roped In" by Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt and a similar theme of anti-protest emerged there and her message there was similarly passive. If you are living under a rock (or are reading this at a later date) we are currently experiencing huge amounts of protest and political unrest in North America. Since the murder of George Floyd by the police in Minneapolis, Black Lives Matter supporters have been protesting police brutality and systemic racial bias, calling for the defunding of police departments and even for the abolishment of police as a whole. These protests have been met with excessive force by police and white militia alike. Hundreds of videos have surfaced of police attacking and abusing protestors (including shooting journalists and press, shoving old men onto hard pavement and leaving them to bleed out, beating teenage girls with batons, and kidnapping people into unmarked vans) as well as white vigilantes showing up at protests with guns, rubbing elbows with cops and terrorizing protestors. Violence against protesters, by both cops and other civilians, has been rampant. Think of the Charlottesville car attack, killing Heather Heyer, and more recently: the news of a 17 year old member of a pro-cop militia gunning down three protesters and killing two. The anti-protest sentiment in America is more than just pernicious, it has been deadly.
So given that context, let's reexamine the text. Obviously, the protest in Spare the Rod is (like so much of this book) trivialized to the point of farce. A statue of a Titanic survivor who was a philanthropist, erected by a private organization that was dedicated to her memory. Everyone in the novel (except the extremist crazies) thinks the situation is trivial and meaningless. But despite the inane nature of Sexton's situation, one can't help but draw parallels between this and common protests surrounding Confederate statues. The most noteworthy real-world protests surrounding the preservation (vs. removal) of confederate statues lead to the now infamous Charlottesville riot, when Alt-Right Neo-Nazis (and though I know Sexton accuses all online bad actors of calling everyone nazis, what else do you call a congregation of white men carrying swastikas and chanting "Jews will not replace us"?) protested the removal of the statue of Robert E. Lee, a confederate general. The riot resulted in the death of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old counter protester, after a member of the racist mob from the night before ran his car directly into a line of protesters. The situation is extremely similar to the situation presented in Sexton's book, except the central conflict of the statues is purposefully trivial. Rather, what Sexton says (both in this book, and in "Roped In") is that protesting is useless and protesters are pointless trouble starters, trying to stir the pot about issues that no one cares about. This disdain towards protest and protesters permeates her books. But in real life, issues really aren't that clear cut. People protesting a literal Nazi mob (or even, from the other side, people organizing those same pro-Nazi marches) or protesting the police shooting unarmed Black men are not doing it for trivial reasons. Protests are a potent form of political speech, and Sexton's trivialization of them is both insidious and, in my opinion, dangerous. Sexton refuses to actually meet protestors on the merits of their plight (which has mostly been surrounding the systemic racism in America) but rather turns them all into strawmen, who are easily mocked and ridiculed. In doing so, she says that protesting is a useless play of spectacle, and rather people should focus on (i guess) hanging out in tap rooms and just talking to each other and spreading ~love~. What isn't addressed is how is talking to people in the pub going to curtail the systemic problem of police brutality, specifically against members of the black community. What isn't addressed is how exactly do the unheard downtrodden get seen, in light of institutionalized forces (such as qualified immunity) expunging killer cops of ever being even charged, let alone ever facing consequences for their actions?
Sexton discusses her frustration with the political system (particularly the two-party system of the States), arguing that the parties will never care about their constituents or change their ways. But that is exactly the point of protest: to force politicians to address serious issues within communities that are not getting their due consideration. Unfortunately, Sexton doesn't consider this valid political action, it seems. Rather, what Sexton seems to be calling for is radical passivity. This, combined with her palpable distaste for protesters is a worrisome combination, especially in light of the actual current social landscape.
Protesters have been met with increasing violence across the United States, and Sexton's cavalier dismissal of their plight, her trivialization of their goals, and her call for passivity in the political sphere not only undermine the efforts of groups like Black Lives Matter, they promote victim blaming mentalities when tragedies like Heather Heyer and the murders in Kenosha do happen.
I'm not calling Marie Sexton a Nazi, but I am critical of the messages that she is trying to disseminate. I think that messages such as hers are pernicious and cause real harm to both people and the political system as a whole.
Sidenote: what the fuck was up with all the weird climate denial in this book lol???? I literally can't stop thinking about it, it's been more than a year since I read this and I just can't get over the horrible misinformation that she peddles about climate change at one point. The argumentation is just.... SO BAD. Like conspiracy level drivel presented completely straight from a guy who claims to be an expert on the subject, it is literally so bizarre and heinous tbh. Like Marie Sexton is over here going like "Ah yes, Big Green Energy, who are just so powerful and lucrative that they force academics into publishing fake science so they can profit off all that sweet sweet solar energy profits. Because we all know Green Energy has way more lobbying power than those poor small-time oil conglomerates, will no one think of the little guy who's being exploited here?" Absolute drivel I can't stand it lmao. And of course all of this just goes completely unchallenged god I hate this horrible, horrible book.
February 14, 2020
I like the first book of this series.
I freaking LOVE the next book. I'll never forget about River and Phil's reunion in the end.
This was supposed to be the third and my favorite but Omg. This was so annoying. Like real annoying.
Me all along.
Gray is one of my fav (he was my fav before this).
Gray met his mate in a party. Avery.
God. I totally disliked Avery. I tried. Hard. But in the end I have to admit. He was my limit in this. I mean he became a better man. True.
Avery is a son to a rich family. In the beginning he's totally a stupid kid.
« He spent the entire day on the couch or in bed, his earbuds in, his eyes glued to his phone.
And that goddamn phone. That was what really annoyed Gray.
Of course, the phone itself was only a mindless, convenient bit of technology. It was Avery’s use of it that drove Gray nuts. All day, every day, he read social media. Twitter and Tumblr were his favorite, but he also perused Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and a few others Gray had never even heard of. He used Snapchat to communicate with his friends, but that seemed to be the least of the social media evils. It was the others that kept Avery glued to his screen, his thumbs typing at lightning speed. Every day, there was some new drama unfolding. And every single day, Gray had to hear about it.
Maybe a celebrity said something that could possibly, maybe, if taken totally out of context, be perceived as racist. « Maybe somebody had the audacity to disagree with Avery on a political point Avery didn’t actually know a damn thing about. Maybe an athlete Avery had never heard of on a team he never watched had eaten at a restaurant owned by a guy who was believed to be a homophobe, or an author had released a book saying something that went against the established narrative, or a musician had failed to publicly take a stand on some random issue. No matter what it was, Avery attacked it with a frenzy he clearly didn’t use in any part of real-world life. He spent hours spewing his venom, lecturing, typing in what Gray had to assume was all-caps, going on and on about how those people were all wrong, and the whole world needed to know. »
Grrrr.
But he evolved. With Gray's help and Gray's friends he became a better person. Thanks to Charlie. But it wasn't enough for me. Clearly.
Gray was annoying too. His family gave me a headache. One day he can't support Avery and the next he can't live without him. It was rushed. God the politic drama was useless. I mean "useless". Drama after drama. Too big.
The end was predictable. I was so disappointed that I didn't fully enjoyed it. Next book please.
This was clearly not the way I was imagining Gray's story. It was all wrong. All along I was like "really?". Did I really wait for this ?!Duuuuuuuh
PS: like the firsts books, there are some scenes with all the group of buddies. You know "THE" parties. Shocking like always but so fun.
I feel like this book was supposed to be about Charlie. I mean all these debates about the word, the life. I love Charlie. He's totally in that kind of things. I didn't think Gray was (like really really) in all of that. I can't wait to read about Charlie because he was a piece of all theses couples.
I freaking LOVE the next book. I'll never forget about River and Phil's reunion in the end.
This was supposed to be the third and my favorite but Omg. This was so annoying. Like real annoying.
Me all along.Gray is one of my fav (he was my fav before this).
Gray met his mate in a party. Avery.
God. I totally disliked Avery. I tried. Hard. But in the end I have to admit. He was my limit in this. I mean he became a better man. True.
Avery is a son to a rich family. In the beginning he's totally a stupid kid.
« He spent the entire day on the couch or in bed, his earbuds in, his eyes glued to his phone.
And that goddamn phone. That was what really annoyed Gray.
Of course, the phone itself was only a mindless, convenient bit of technology. It was Avery’s use of it that drove Gray nuts. All day, every day, he read social media. Twitter and Tumblr were his favorite, but he also perused Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and a few others Gray had never even heard of. He used Snapchat to communicate with his friends, but that seemed to be the least of the social media evils. It was the others that kept Avery glued to his screen, his thumbs typing at lightning speed. Every day, there was some new drama unfolding. And every single day, Gray had to hear about it.
Maybe a celebrity said something that could possibly, maybe, if taken totally out of context, be perceived as racist. « Maybe somebody had the audacity to disagree with Avery on a political point Avery didn’t actually know a damn thing about. Maybe an athlete Avery had never heard of on a team he never watched had eaten at a restaurant owned by a guy who was believed to be a homophobe, or an author had released a book saying something that went against the established narrative, or a musician had failed to publicly take a stand on some random issue. No matter what it was, Avery attacked it with a frenzy he clearly didn’t use in any part of real-world life. He spent hours spewing his venom, lecturing, typing in what Gray had to assume was all-caps, going on and on about how those people were all wrong, and the whole world needed to know. »
Grrrr.
But he evolved. With Gray's help and Gray's friends he became a better person. Thanks to Charlie. But it wasn't enough for me. Clearly.
Gray was annoying too. His family gave me a headache. One day he can't support Avery and the next he can't live without him. It was rushed. God the politic drama was useless. I mean "useless". Drama after drama. Too big.
The end was predictable. I was so disappointed that I didn't fully enjoyed it. Next book please.
This was clearly not the way I was imagining Gray's story. It was all wrong. All along I was like "really?". Did I really wait for this ?!Duuuuuuuh
PS: like the firsts books, there are some scenes with all the group of buddies. You know "THE" parties. Shocking like always but so fun.
I feel like this book was supposed to be about Charlie. I mean all these debates about the word, the life. I love Charlie. He's totally in that kind of things. I didn't think Gray was (like really really) in all of that. I can't wait to read about Charlie because he was a piece of all theses couples.
December 17, 2019
I was looking forward to this book and I’m so disappointed. The romance was pretty solid for most of the book, but it was overwhelmed by a series of political harangues. Sexton is wildly frustrated with the state of politics in America today, but in critiquing the unforgiving dogmatism that can exist on both the left and the right, she equally dogmatically asserts the superiority of the center for no better reason than the fact that it is the center.
I welcome political content in my books and enjoy thoughtful critiques of received wisdom, but the arguments in this book were incredibly reductive. My reaction was not to think that Sexton was wrong; rather, I simply thought she was overly simplistic. Given the amount of time she spent on the characters communicating her political views - to the detriment of the central love story - I just wish that her views had been more nuanced as well as better expressed. And to be clear, being in the middle does not, by definition, make a person nuanced or intellectually honest. In Sexton’s hands, political moderation was just a self-righteous, self-aggrandizing, moralizing tick.
To be fair, she tries to leave room for respecting liberals and conservatives who operate in good faith; she’s mostly annoyed by social media mobs (and there is a lot of fertile ground for criticizing them). But the moral heroes of this story are those in the “sensible center,” and frankly, her insistence on the point got old.
I really wish this had been better; I was excited about this book and now, I’m just bummed.
I welcome political content in my books and enjoy thoughtful critiques of received wisdom, but the arguments in this book were incredibly reductive. My reaction was not to think that Sexton was wrong; rather, I simply thought she was overly simplistic. Given the amount of time she spent on the characters communicating her political views - to the detriment of the central love story - I just wish that her views had been more nuanced as well as better expressed. And to be clear, being in the middle does not, by definition, make a person nuanced or intellectually honest. In Sexton’s hands, political moderation was just a self-righteous, self-aggrandizing, moralizing tick.
To be fair, she tries to leave room for respecting liberals and conservatives who operate in good faith; she’s mostly annoyed by social media mobs (and there is a lot of fertile ground for criticizing them). But the moral heroes of this story are those in the “sensible center,” and frankly, her insistence on the point got old.
I really wish this had been better; I was excited about this book and now, I’m just bummed.
June 26, 2020
As beautiful as this story is, it's even lovelier when read by John Solo. His performance is simply spectacular. There's boatloads of emotion in each of the books in this series, and the way he captures it and conveys it just through his voice..., well it is an incredible experience and I highly recommend it.
Folks, if you're turned off by the S&M part I get it, though Marie Sexton does a great job explaining why and how it works for these characters. If you're turned off by the political statements (especially those early in the book) PLEASE stay the course. There's a solid reason why Avery's character starts out like this - and to follow his journey all the way through is imperative. Then you'll understand why Ms. Sexton starts this story out the way she does.
Each of the books in this series could be read as standalones, though the four gents around whom the series revolves play a part in each other's books.
Folks, if you're turned off by the S&M part I get it, though Marie Sexton does a great job explaining why and how it works for these characters. If you're turned off by the political statements (especially those early in the book) PLEASE stay the course. There's a solid reason why Avery's character starts out like this - and to follow his journey all the way through is imperative. Then you'll understand why Ms. Sexton starts this story out the way she does.
Each of the books in this series could be read as standalones, though the four gents around whom the series revolves play a part in each other's books.
December 16, 2019
I was waiting very impatiently for this one to drop, so it's probably inevitable that I found it disappointing.
As a pragmatic progressive, the politics in this book drove me crazy. It seemed to suggest that some sort of Jenga-tower of middle ground rationalizations is the only way to be intellectually honest. Not so. You can be fully educated as to the two sides and the tradeoffs, not be out there calling people Nazis, and vote Democratic earnestly. There IS such a thing as the lesser evil.
I do agree that Twitter is not the place to change anyone's mind.
On a totally different note, in a series known for its five-alarm hotness, this book had only one good sex scene.
As a pragmatic progressive, the politics in this book drove me crazy. It seemed to suggest that some sort of Jenga-tower of middle ground rationalizations is the only way to be intellectually honest. Not so. You can be fully educated as to the two sides and the tradeoffs, not be out there calling people Nazis, and vote Democratic earnestly. There IS such a thing as the lesser evil.
I do agree that Twitter is not the place to change anyone's mind.
On a totally different note, in a series known for its five-alarm hotness, this book had only one good sex scene.
December 26, 2019
I enjoyed elements of this story but I didn’t like the political banter- it was way too much and dominated the story. I understand there was a purpose in using this information to support Greys character traits but it really was just way too much. I actually got frustrated and flicked those pages. Probably not my favorite book in this series.
December 18, 2019
Not the best of this series
I was so looking forward to this book because the first two books in this series blew me away. I didn’t even know what to expect from this book. I never even read the blurb and I was anticipating like hell for this book!
This was not Ms Sexton’s best. I understand that she struggled to finish this book. But I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. There were some very noticeable spelling mistakes, especially because whatever word was spelled didn’t make sense with the sentence. Also, there’s the usual mistakes from books that haven’t been edited well, missing words and such. Which is quite a surprise because I don’t remember Ms Sexton’s books as being less than perfectly edited 🤔
Anyway, moving on to the actual storyline. I did NOT like Avery much at the beginning. I definitely liked him as the book progressed and I like the issue that was raised with Avery’s shitty behaviour. It’s so very true, not only in today’s climate of social media silos. I suppose it’s always been there but it wasn’t ever so apparent because there was no social media before. We could only find out people’s opinions on subjects when we speak to them. But with social media nowadays, it’s hard to not know where anybody stands in any subject. And it’s just getting more and more polarised with an ever growing gap where middle ground used to be. But I’m not here to debate that.
I felt a bit of a disconnect sometimes between Avery and Gray. The beginning was great. We saw where they worked well and where friction started to happen. But then there was a pretty large gap where their stories sort of diverged and disconnected. Maybe that was the point? But I didn’t feel them reconnecting again. It just seemed it was where they were meant to be plot wise so they got shoved back together again. I guess what I’m saying is, I didn’t believe their re-connection was organic.
And the last 20% or so was like a complete different story to me. It didn’t fit the narrative or something? I don’t know... I just felt like the pacing wasn’t too great at the end and it just went off on a tangent I wasn’t expecting.
But I am giving it 4 stars because it was thought provoking and conveyed the arguments well. One that I feel more people need to understand. But story wise, it might have just been a 3? I don’t understand my ratings sometimes but it’s mine so 🤪
I was so looking forward to this book because the first two books in this series blew me away. I didn’t even know what to expect from this book. I never even read the blurb and I was anticipating like hell for this book!
This was not Ms Sexton’s best. I understand that she struggled to finish this book. But I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed. There were some very noticeable spelling mistakes, especially because whatever word was spelled didn’t make sense with the sentence. Also, there’s the usual mistakes from books that haven’t been edited well, missing words and such. Which is quite a surprise because I don’t remember Ms Sexton’s books as being less than perfectly edited 🤔
Anyway, moving on to the actual storyline. I did NOT like Avery much at the beginning. I definitely liked him as the book progressed and I like the issue that was raised with Avery’s shitty behaviour. It’s so very true, not only in today’s climate of social media silos. I suppose it’s always been there but it wasn’t ever so apparent because there was no social media before. We could only find out people’s opinions on subjects when we speak to them. But with social media nowadays, it’s hard to not know where anybody stands in any subject. And it’s just getting more and more polarised with an ever growing gap where middle ground used to be. But I’m not here to debate that.
I felt a bit of a disconnect sometimes between Avery and Gray. The beginning was great. We saw where they worked well and where friction started to happen. But then there was a pretty large gap where their stories sort of diverged and disconnected. Maybe that was the point? But I didn’t feel them reconnecting again. It just seemed it was where they were meant to be plot wise so they got shoved back together again. I guess what I’m saying is, I didn’t believe their re-connection was organic.
And the last 20% or so was like a complete different story to me. It didn’t fit the narrative or something? I don’t know... I just felt like the pacing wasn’t too great at the end and it just went off on a tangent I wasn’t expecting.
But I am giving it 4 stars because it was thought provoking and conveyed the arguments well. One that I feel more people need to understand. But story wise, it might have just been a 3? I don’t understand my ratings sometimes but it’s mine so 🤪
December 28, 2019
Best story yet! Loved all the up and downs. It starts with a bang and then lows of almost disliking both Avery and Gray and then it’s turned around. Lovely discourse on building community. You could tell this book meant a lot to the author.
Read
July 30, 2023Skimmed - No rating
This book has a considerable amount of content dedicated to the American social climate and politics. There is a big focus on the use of twitter, keyboard warriors, conspiracy theories, activists, and commentary about voting/not voting for Trump. This didn’t interest me and I’m not American so I didn’t even understand most of it. I skimmed these sections hoping I’d still enjoy the bulk of the story but this turned out to be pretty much the main plot and so entwined into the characters that I never really cared for them.
This book has a considerable amount of content dedicated to the American social climate and politics. There is a big focus on the use of twitter, keyboard warriors, conspiracy theories, activists, and commentary about voting/not voting for Trump. This didn’t interest me and I’m not American so I didn’t even understand most of it. I skimmed these sections hoping I’d still enjoy the bulk of the story but this turned out to be pretty much the main plot and so entwined into the characters that I never really cared for them.
September 27, 2022
Honestly, I'm disappointed.
Marie Sexton is one of my favorite authors because she manages to write romance stories and characters that have substance, and I love that every one of her books has something special, every one of her characters is distinct and fleshed out and I can still remember most of them by name even years after I've read the books.
That is all true for this book, but there was no balance between the endless social commentary and the romance. At first I was having fun. I even agree with most of what was said. And little by little every bit of fun was chocked out of the book by the endless droning on about how polarized the US American society is, how the media is used as a tool of manipulating the masses, etc etc. It was fun watching Avery wake up to the reality, but it was not fun having it repeated over and over and over and over again.
As for the romance, it was lukewarm at best. At the start I really really hated Avery, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually liked Gray since so far he was the least interesting heretic dom to me. I couldn't imagine how they would ever work out their differences and I still wasn't 100% convinced when they eventually got together. My interest in them waned as the social commentary increased. The ending felt so out of character for Gray and so cheesy that I just couldn't roll my eyes far enough to the back of my head.
It felt like the setting and the romance were just tools for social commentary, not the other way around. For the first time I wanted to DNF a Marie Sexton book.
Marie Sexton is one of my favorite authors because she manages to write romance stories and characters that have substance, and I love that every one of her books has something special, every one of her characters is distinct and fleshed out and I can still remember most of them by name even years after I've read the books.
That is all true for this book, but there was no balance between the endless social commentary and the romance. At first I was having fun. I even agree with most of what was said. And little by little every bit of fun was chocked out of the book by the endless droning on about how polarized the US American society is, how the media is used as a tool of manipulating the masses, etc etc. It was fun watching Avery wake up to the reality, but it was not fun having it repeated over and over and over and over again.
As for the romance, it was lukewarm at best. At the start I really really hated Avery, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I actually liked Gray since so far he was the least interesting heretic dom to me. I couldn't imagine how they would ever work out their differences and I still wasn't 100% convinced when they eventually got together. My interest in them waned as the social commentary increased. The ending felt so out of character for Gray and so cheesy that I just couldn't roll my eyes far enough to the back of my head.
It felt like the setting and the romance were just tools for social commentary, not the other way around. For the first time I wanted to DNF a Marie Sexton book.
December 18, 2019
I was extremely excited to read this book, and as someone who rarely ever writes a review on a book I’ve read, this one had to be written about because of how disappointing I found it. I absolutely LOVED the first two books, I just don’t know what happened here.
Edited to add : I loved the romance aspect of this book, and the relationship between Gray and Avery. I wish there was way more of that instead of whats below.
Not sure if she should have pushed up release or what, but a dissertation on the effects of social media and the political climate we have right now is not what I was expecting. Didn’t like that. Wound up skimming because it was literally a book about the effects of poor social media and trump and listening to each other’s side (which I completely agree with), but I read my romance books for romance. And I hate being this person but, I’m trying to escape this exact stuff in my personal life so picking up a book should be a reprieve and this just wasn’t it. Sorry.
DNF.
(I’m typing this at 1 in the am on my cell and I don’t have my glasses on and I’m too lazy/tired to articulate myself any better sry)
Edited to add : I loved the romance aspect of this book, and the relationship between Gray and Avery. I wish there was way more of that instead of whats below.
Not sure if she should have pushed up release or what, but a dissertation on the effects of social media and the political climate we have right now is not what I was expecting. Didn’t like that. Wound up skimming because it was literally a book about the effects of poor social media and trump and listening to each other’s side (which I completely agree with), but I read my romance books for romance. And I hate being this person but, I’m trying to escape this exact stuff in my personal life so picking up a book should be a reprieve and this just wasn’t it. Sorry.
DNF.
(I’m typing this at 1 in the am on my cell and I don’t have my glasses on and I’m too lazy/tired to articulate myself any better sry)
January 4, 2020
I was excited to read this book, because I remembered enjoying the first two in the series. And the characters had potential, though I'm not sure I ended up believing in either one of them. But wow, the reductive both-sides-ism in this book made it nearly unreadable for me. Yes, it's important to consider multiple points of view and not live in an echo chamber or vilify the other side for minor things, but that doesn't mean we should overlook the major things on which we disagree and that are destroying lives. I'm sad to say this book will make me think twice about reading anything else by this author.
December 25, 2019
Really love these characters and overall the development of this couple worked for me. The political debate was a bit much at times but did made me think. A lot actually. It also reminded me of this amazing song by For King and Country.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lA7n7Tw...
Cannot wait for Charlie’s book. In the meantime a reread of Warren and Taylor is in order.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lA7n7Tw...
Cannot wait for Charlie’s book. In the meantime a reread of Warren and Taylor is in order.
December 26, 2019
A good story spoilt slightly by unneccessary pages of American politics and voting for Republicans, Democrats and Independents - all rather boring for a non American reader. Found myself having to skip pages to get on with the story ☹
June 14, 2021
Nayeli - per RFS
.
«Quindi non hai alcun desiderio di compiacermi?» Avery gemette, ma non si piegò. «Sappiamo entrambi che l’obbedienza non soddisferà nessuno di noi.»
Nella serie sul “Club dei dominatori eretici” Marie Sexton ci presenta sfumature del BDSM sempre differenti e borderline rispetto agli stereotipi del genere. Ammetto che la versione di Gray non è riuscita esattamente a catturarmi, ho avuto la sensazione che il suo personaggio mancasse dell’amore dell’autrice; ma vediamo innanzitutto di chi e di che cosa stiamo parlando.
Partiamo mettendo in fila un po’ di concetti: nel titolo troviamo il termine “disciplina”.
La disciplina non equivale né a obbedienza (kink che riguardava Phil e River) né a sottomissione (per i quali abbiamo adorato Warren e Taylor).
Disciplina è quando cerchiamo di educare un ragazzino viziato che sta troppo sui social, si disinteressa dei suoi obblighi e ha bisogno di essere “messo in riga”.
Disciplina, quindi, implica punizioni, ovvero godere nel provocare dolore fisico, e presuppone che il partner, naturalmente consenziente, provi piacere nel ricevere quel dolore. E, come Gray dovrà ricordare a un certo punto, l’altra faccia della medaglia rispetto alle punizioni sono le ricompense.
Disciplina evoca anche due sentimenti fondamentali: il sub ambisce a guadagnarsi il rispetto del suo Dom, nei confronti del quale deve arrivare a provare piena fiducia. Entrambe le cose devono essere conquistate con comportamenti meritevoli.
Che tipo di dominatore è Gray? Non è autoritario, attento e preciso come Phil, non è empatico e una roccia solita come Warren e, per quanto premuroso nell’aftercare, il suo modo di essere un Dom è piuttosto fuori schema, quasi disinteressato. Per buona parte del libro dimentica perfino di avere un ragazzo che vive sotto al suo stesso tetto, e scambia senza problemi una sessione in palestra con una di sesso. Non tiene molto al titolo onorifico (nessun “master/padrone/signore”), il suo unico interesse è placare il suo caos interiore attraverso l’atto sadico dell’imprimere dolore. Parco nel concedere premi e seconde occasioni, Gray ha spesso l’aspetto di un lupo affascinante e pronto a prendersi ciò che vuole, più che a concedere qualcosa. Un aspetto minaccioso e sexy, più che solido e affidabile.
E Avery è il tipo di sub che si incastra perfettamente con questo carattere: ostile all’obbedienza e all’umiliazione, è un ragazzo ribelle e capace di difendere le sue posizioni, che gode del dolore inflitto durante il rapporto ma è consapevole di cedere il controllo solo temporaneamente e solo per questo tipo di sessioni.
La storia inizia quando Avery, per diversi motivi, si ritrova senza un tetto sotto cui stare . Conosce il poliziotto che lo sta scortando fuori da casa di suo padre, Gray appunto, grazie a un’esperienza sessuale precedente molto piacevole, e gli chiede di poterlo accogliere. La cosa funziona per qualche giorno, finché Gray lo conosce meglio e si fa una cattiva opinione di lui, cosa che li allontana anche dalla possibilità di dormire di nuovo insieme.
Gray infatti ha bisogno di essere stimolato mentalmente, di avere un coinvolgimento intellettuale tanto quanto lussurioso, per essere interessato a qualcuno tanto da farci sesso. Questo aspetto è così rilevante che il sesso viene messo in stand by fintanto che vede Avery come un bamboccio bigotto e ignorante, privo di idee e di capacità di argomentare le sue opinioni. E questo è esattamente il tema su cui si basa il romanzo.
«Pensi che vorrai mai toccarmi di nuovo?» gli domandò, senza che gli importasse di sembrare patetico. «Desidero toccarti ogni singolo giorno. È quando devo decidere se per strangolarti a mani nude o scoparti a morte che mi trovo in difficoltà.»
Tutta la prima metà del libro si occupa della crescita personale di Avery (praticamente dimenticando il personaggio principale) e degli haters.
L’hating dei giudizi sommari sul web, il bullizzare virtualmente qualcuno sui social, il seguire le polemiche quotidianamente lanciate dai troll contro politici o divi di turno, e il modo con cui la gente scaraventa rabbia e odio senza riflettere, senza approfondire, informarsi, valutare le fonti e, per lo più, senza ascoltare gli altri viene messo in contrapposizione con la capacità di argomentare le proprie posizioni, saper discutere in modo civile, di avere l’umiltà per ascoltare le varie controparti e di mettersi in discussione, ma anche con il saper distinguere le semplificazioni del web rispetto alla stratificazione reale della vita vera, il saper cogliere le sfumature.
Il tema sfocia anche su questioni politiche molto americane, informandoci che la maggior parte dei cittadini non è democraticamente rappresentata in quanto vota un terzo partito indipendente che non è ammesso nel bipolarismo attualmente in vigore. Per quanto di tendenza e interessante, ho trovato un po’ troppo “entusiasmo” nell’accalorarsi su questo dibattito, perfino un po’ stereotipato e moralista in certi momenti.
Nonostante il richiamo all’apertura mentale, talvolta si è spinto un po’ troppo contro ai partiti maggioritari, contro all’informazione di massa, con un accento anche un po’ anarchico, perorando la causa di moderati indipendenti non rappresentati. Questioni politiche insomma non solo molto delicate, ma che ho trovato piuttosto estranee alla natura del libro.
Avery ci mette un po’ prima di essere smosso così tanto da sentirsi umiliato e da decidere di cambiare, e qui inizia il suo percorso di crescita interiore. Non è un ragazzo stupido, ma aveva bisogno di rendersi conto che quello che stava facendo, schierandosi ogni giorno nella gogna mediatica contro qualcuno, per una causa reale o inventata, scagliando odio allo scopo di sentirsi parte di una fazione credendo di lottare per qualcosa, non era il meglio per sé e per la sua intelligenza.
Una volta raggiunto il nuovo equilibrio sente il bisogno di riscattarsi nei confronti di Gray, la cui opinione però è ora offuscata dal pregiudizio.
Prima di andare avanti, Gray ha bisogno di fare i conti con quello che ha provato e che prova ancora per Phil, nonostante lui sia felicemente impegnato e la consapevolezza che sono totalmente incompatibili tra loro.
Credo purtroppo che questo episodio della saga non sia riuscito a esplorare bene il kink che si proponeva e che l’abbia messo troppo in secondo piano rispetto a vicende personali che potevano essere sviluppate in una storia senza quel particolare retroscena. Di fatto, metà del romanzo è incentrato sul percorso di crescita di Avery, un’altra buona fetta approfondisce il tema dell’hating e della spirale di odio crescente che questo mette in moto, e se togliamo lo spazio dedicato ai momenti corali rimane davvero poco per trattare il sado-masochismo, inteso non tanto come sequenza di pratiche bollenti (che sono presenti, anche se piuttosto frettolose), quanto come retroscena emotivi e sviluppi di crescita che coinvolgano questa pratica sessuale. Forse fruste e paddle non sono il kink preferito dall’autrice.
Inoltre, ho avuto la sensazione che fosse affrettato sia il modo in cui Gray ritiene che Avery sia perfetto per lui (si riferisce spesso alla compatibilità sessuale, che però, come dicevo, è presentata generalmente attraverso una sequenza di gesti più che come intensità emotiva), e che Avery risulti innamorato di lui in modo improvviso e ingiustificato, dato che Gray compare pochissimo e non fa quasi parte della sua vita per molte pagine. Non è chiaro come e quando sia scattata la fatidica scintilla. Da lì in poi, tuttavia, il legame cresce in modo sempre più intenso e subentra nella trama anche il filone sentimentale, che riesce comunque a regalarci una buona lettura.
" Gray gli prese la mano e lo attirò a sé, sopraffatto da un sentimento di tenerezza nuovo e delicato. Desiderò baciargli le labbra fredde e assaporare il calore che si celava al loro interno. Le parole “ti amo” cercarono di sfuggirgli di bocca."
.
«Quindi non hai alcun desiderio di compiacermi?» Avery gemette, ma non si piegò. «Sappiamo entrambi che l’obbedienza non soddisferà nessuno di noi.»
Nella serie sul “Club dei dominatori eretici” Marie Sexton ci presenta sfumature del BDSM sempre differenti e borderline rispetto agli stereotipi del genere. Ammetto che la versione di Gray non è riuscita esattamente a catturarmi, ho avuto la sensazione che il suo personaggio mancasse dell’amore dell’autrice; ma vediamo innanzitutto di chi e di che cosa stiamo parlando.
Partiamo mettendo in fila un po’ di concetti: nel titolo troviamo il termine “disciplina”.
La disciplina non equivale né a obbedienza (kink che riguardava Phil e River) né a sottomissione (per i quali abbiamo adorato Warren e Taylor).
Disciplina è quando cerchiamo di educare un ragazzino viziato che sta troppo sui social, si disinteressa dei suoi obblighi e ha bisogno di essere “messo in riga”.
Disciplina, quindi, implica punizioni, ovvero godere nel provocare dolore fisico, e presuppone che il partner, naturalmente consenziente, provi piacere nel ricevere quel dolore. E, come Gray dovrà ricordare a un certo punto, l’altra faccia della medaglia rispetto alle punizioni sono le ricompense.
Disciplina evoca anche due sentimenti fondamentali: il sub ambisce a guadagnarsi il rispetto del suo Dom, nei confronti del quale deve arrivare a provare piena fiducia. Entrambe le cose devono essere conquistate con comportamenti meritevoli.
Che tipo di dominatore è Gray? Non è autoritario, attento e preciso come Phil, non è empatico e una roccia solita come Warren e, per quanto premuroso nell’aftercare, il suo modo di essere un Dom è piuttosto fuori schema, quasi disinteressato. Per buona parte del libro dimentica perfino di avere un ragazzo che vive sotto al suo stesso tetto, e scambia senza problemi una sessione in palestra con una di sesso. Non tiene molto al titolo onorifico (nessun “master/padrone/signore”), il suo unico interesse è placare il suo caos interiore attraverso l’atto sadico dell’imprimere dolore. Parco nel concedere premi e seconde occasioni, Gray ha spesso l’aspetto di un lupo affascinante e pronto a prendersi ciò che vuole, più che a concedere qualcosa. Un aspetto minaccioso e sexy, più che solido e affidabile.
E Avery è il tipo di sub che si incastra perfettamente con questo carattere: ostile all’obbedienza e all’umiliazione, è un ragazzo ribelle e capace di difendere le sue posizioni, che gode del dolore inflitto durante il rapporto ma è consapevole di cedere il controllo solo temporaneamente e solo per questo tipo di sessioni.
La storia inizia quando Avery, per diversi motivi, si ritrova senza un tetto sotto cui stare . Conosce il poliziotto che lo sta scortando fuori da casa di suo padre, Gray appunto, grazie a un’esperienza sessuale precedente molto piacevole, e gli chiede di poterlo accogliere. La cosa funziona per qualche giorno, finché Gray lo conosce meglio e si fa una cattiva opinione di lui, cosa che li allontana anche dalla possibilità di dormire di nuovo insieme.
Gray infatti ha bisogno di essere stimolato mentalmente, di avere un coinvolgimento intellettuale tanto quanto lussurioso, per essere interessato a qualcuno tanto da farci sesso. Questo aspetto è così rilevante che il sesso viene messo in stand by fintanto che vede Avery come un bamboccio bigotto e ignorante, privo di idee e di capacità di argomentare le sue opinioni. E questo è esattamente il tema su cui si basa il romanzo.
«Pensi che vorrai mai toccarmi di nuovo?» gli domandò, senza che gli importasse di sembrare patetico. «Desidero toccarti ogni singolo giorno. È quando devo decidere se per strangolarti a mani nude o scoparti a morte che mi trovo in difficoltà.»
Tutta la prima metà del libro si occupa della crescita personale di Avery (praticamente dimenticando il personaggio principale) e degli haters.
L’hating dei giudizi sommari sul web, il bullizzare virtualmente qualcuno sui social, il seguire le polemiche quotidianamente lanciate dai troll contro politici o divi di turno, e il modo con cui la gente scaraventa rabbia e odio senza riflettere, senza approfondire, informarsi, valutare le fonti e, per lo più, senza ascoltare gli altri viene messo in contrapposizione con la capacità di argomentare le proprie posizioni, saper discutere in modo civile, di avere l’umiltà per ascoltare le varie controparti e di mettersi in discussione, ma anche con il saper distinguere le semplificazioni del web rispetto alla stratificazione reale della vita vera, il saper cogliere le sfumature.
Il tema sfocia anche su questioni politiche molto americane, informandoci che la maggior parte dei cittadini non è democraticamente rappresentata in quanto vota un terzo partito indipendente che non è ammesso nel bipolarismo attualmente in vigore. Per quanto di tendenza e interessante, ho trovato un po’ troppo “entusiasmo” nell’accalorarsi su questo dibattito, perfino un po’ stereotipato e moralista in certi momenti.
Nonostante il richiamo all’apertura mentale, talvolta si è spinto un po’ troppo contro ai partiti maggioritari, contro all’informazione di massa, con un accento anche un po’ anarchico, perorando la causa di moderati indipendenti non rappresentati. Questioni politiche insomma non solo molto delicate, ma che ho trovato piuttosto estranee alla natura del libro.
Avery ci mette un po’ prima di essere smosso così tanto da sentirsi umiliato e da decidere di cambiare, e qui inizia il suo percorso di crescita interiore. Non è un ragazzo stupido, ma aveva bisogno di rendersi conto che quello che stava facendo, schierandosi ogni giorno nella gogna mediatica contro qualcuno, per una causa reale o inventata, scagliando odio allo scopo di sentirsi parte di una fazione credendo di lottare per qualcosa, non era il meglio per sé e per la sua intelligenza.
Una volta raggiunto il nuovo equilibrio sente il bisogno di riscattarsi nei confronti di Gray, la cui opinione però è ora offuscata dal pregiudizio.
Prima di andare avanti, Gray ha bisogno di fare i conti con quello che ha provato e che prova ancora per Phil, nonostante lui sia felicemente impegnato e la consapevolezza che sono totalmente incompatibili tra loro.
Credo purtroppo che questo episodio della saga non sia riuscito a esplorare bene il kink che si proponeva e che l’abbia messo troppo in secondo piano rispetto a vicende personali che potevano essere sviluppate in una storia senza quel particolare retroscena. Di fatto, metà del romanzo è incentrato sul percorso di crescita di Avery, un’altra buona fetta approfondisce il tema dell’hating e della spirale di odio crescente che questo mette in moto, e se togliamo lo spazio dedicato ai momenti corali rimane davvero poco per trattare il sado-masochismo, inteso non tanto come sequenza di pratiche bollenti (che sono presenti, anche se piuttosto frettolose), quanto come retroscena emotivi e sviluppi di crescita che coinvolgano questa pratica sessuale. Forse fruste e paddle non sono il kink preferito dall’autrice.
Inoltre, ho avuto la sensazione che fosse affrettato sia il modo in cui Gray ritiene che Avery sia perfetto per lui (si riferisce spesso alla compatibilità sessuale, che però, come dicevo, è presentata generalmente attraverso una sequenza di gesti più che come intensità emotiva), e che Avery risulti innamorato di lui in modo improvviso e ingiustificato, dato che Gray compare pochissimo e non fa quasi parte della sua vita per molte pagine. Non è chiaro come e quando sia scattata la fatidica scintilla. Da lì in poi, tuttavia, il legame cresce in modo sempre più intenso e subentra nella trama anche il filone sentimentale, che riesce comunque a regalarci una buona lettura.
" Gray gli prese la mano e lo attirò a sé, sopraffatto da un sentimento di tenerezza nuovo e delicato. Desiderò baciargli le labbra fredde e assaporare il calore che si celava al loro interno. Le parole “ti amo” cercarono di sfuggirgli di bocca."
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December 22, 2019Dnf at somewhere close to the end.
First I was disappointed because I wanted Charlie's story then I had to sit and read this fake deep book, just because you're in the "center" doesn't make you more reasonable.
I only read that far because I didn't want to miss any clue about Charlie's stuff.
First I was disappointed because I wanted Charlie's story then I had to sit and read this fake deep book, just because you're in the "center" doesn't make you more reasonable.
I only read that far because I didn't want to miss any clue about Charlie's stuff.
March 29, 2020
I love series 1 and 2 and will definitely buy the next novel. But this was a struggle. The couple is not the center of the story. It is America's society, social media, and how to argue in an effective way. In short: it reads like non-fiction. And as a European, I am only marginally interested in America's shortcomings.
The narration was good, except the first chapter when he lets his voice tremble too often and so distracts from the scene.
The narration was good, except the first chapter when he lets his voice tremble too often and so distracts from the scene.
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