L. A. Witt

If It Flies is the third book in L. A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov’s Market Garden series, which follows a group of rent boys at the exclusive London club/brothel of the same name. In this one, we have Spencer, an over-worked and closeted corporate attorney who always seems to feel stressed out. It’s been a while since he’s been in a relationship and one-night stands come with their own issues for him, so his friend, Percy, who happens to be the only co-worker who knows Spencer is gay, suggests that he hire a prostitute from Market Garden to blow off a little steam. Spencer is a bit dubious about paying for sex, so he only reluctantly accompanies Percy to the club. He’s no sooner through the door, though, when a gorgeous and cockily confident man approaches him. Everything about Nick (another of the Market Garden rent boys who was briefly seen in the first two stories) seems to turn Spencer on, and before long, he’s shelling out the dough to take this man home. Nick is a Dom and a sadist who slowly introduces Spencer to the bliss of pain combined with pleasure. Spencer had always felt like something was missing in his past sexual encounters, and he soon comes to realizes that he’s a masochist who loves submitting to Nick’s special brand of erotic torture. For the next several months, Spencer becomes a regular client, while trying to compartmentalize their sessions in order to follow Nick’s rule of it only being a business transaction. But when Nick is the one who slips up, passionately kissing Spencer in the aftermath of one of their encounters, he runs scared, leaving Spencer wondering if he’ll ever again see the man he’s come to care for and trust like no other and has counted on to always been there for him.

I absolutely loved the first two short stories in the Market Garden series, so I’ve been eager to pick up If It Flies for a while. Knowing from the cover blurb that Nick was a sadist, I went into reading this one with a little trepidation. I’m more comfortable with the B&D in BDSM and kind of draw the line at leaving marks, but even though the S&M parts weren’t entirely my cuppa, I did still enjoy this story. I admit that during the first half or so, I wasn’t feeling a strong emotional connection between Nick and Spencer, because of their business-only arrangement, but it was pretty clear that Spencer was longing for more even though he was trying to be pragmatic. However, once Nick loses a little of his self-control and kisses Spencer after one of their more intense sessions, then I could really feel how much they’d started to care for one another and that they were gradually becoming more than just sex worker and client. Of course, Nick almost immediately runs away, scared. I understood that he was just trying to figure things out and that he was afraid of losing his independence if he agreed to a real relationship with Spencer, but I couldn’t help being just a tad disappointed that it took him seeing Spencer chatting it up with another Dom for Nick to finally realize how much Spencer meant to him. Spencer, on the other hand, went out to an orgy with Percy during his brief separation from Nick and knew right away that what he needed wasn’t there. I simply couldn’t help wondering if they’d ever have gotten back together if not for Spencer somewhat reluctantly returning to Market Garden in search of a new Dom. All’s well that ends well, though, because after their little reunion, they share their most intense session yet, which led to a heartfelt HFN ending. If It Flies is longer than the first two books of the series, but still only novella length, so it’s mostly about the sexy times with limited character and plot development. Because of this, I was glad to see that the next book, If It Fornicates, is also about Nick and Spencer, so I’m hoping that it will flesh out their characters a little more and give them a more solid HEA.

Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, including a dom/sub relationship, sadism/masochism, sex work, and an orgy, which could be objectionable to sensitive readers.… (plus d'informations)

After a frightening attack in a gay bar Aiden takes the advice a friend who is also a military policeman about how to explain his facial injuries so that awkward questions won't be asked about him being in a gay bar. He wasn't taking any chances even if the military wasn't asking as many of those questions as they had in the past. Aiden takes his friend's advice to say he fell on rocks while hiking at Haji Falls. To make his story somewhat true, he goes to the falls where he encounters Connor, another American. From Conner's haircut, Aiden knew that he diffidently wasn't military. It’s just a chance encounter, but one that throws them both into a tailspin with the amount of chemistry flowing between them...but neither one was sure that the other was gay. It was fun to watch these two trying to figure that out and the questions that bringing it up produced. Both of them were adults... Aiden was 24 and, in the Navy, while Connor was 20 and in college getting a degree with 2 years yet to go. Of the two of them, Aiden was the experienced one, while Connor had never, until now, met anyone he wanted to be with, which made their encounter, all the more special. Aiden knew that he had to move slow, and Connor was okay with that. There was so much mutual satisfaction with them just talking and being with one another. They were happy...then Aiden learns that Connor’s father is one of his commanding officers that he reports to daily. In spite of how much he loves Conner, Aiden finally bends under Conner's father telling him that their relationship could/would end his military career...Aiden believes him and that causes him to make the biggest mistake of his life. I knew what the solution to their problem would be and luckily... so did Aiden...eventually. Be prepared for your heart to twist into knocks while you wait for Aiden to see what that solution was. It's a well-done story about young love that is so powerful it will take your breath away... but will make you truly believe that many times first love can be forever love. Once again, Greg Boudreaux did a magnificent job giving the characters voice and so many emotions.… (plus d'informations)

II was surprised to see that this is apparently part of a short series of stories that is set in the same location and in the same garage as the book, Normal Enough that was written by Marie Sexton. I wasn’t aware of this when I bought it, but since I liked both these authors, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story at all. It is a short, sexy and sweet romance tale. Reggie’s auto garage is part of a reality television show that auto shops compete against one another. The TV network has four regularly featured garages. For some reason, the network wants to remove this particular garage from the series. Since Reggie had a great lawyer negotiating his contract back before the show started over four years ago, there is only one way for the network to legally get out of the contract. Reggie has to refuse to do a spin-off reality show offered to him by the same network. Seemed like a 'no-brainer" to me if he wanted to continue to do the show. He needed to stay with it as his garage need the income to stay afloat. Reggie also has a secret that may not remain so for long... he's a closeted gay man. It only gets worse when the network sends a "sacrificial lamb" to offer Reggie a dating show similar to "The Bachelor". In their defense the reader learns that the network has no idea what they are about to stir up. Wes is one of the producers of "Wrench Wars" and finds that he is the unlucky man selected to propose the idea of a dating show to Reggie. Unknown to each of them, they have both been "behind the scenes" interested in the other for years, each having no idea whether either man was gay. Wes is not happy about being forced into this position because if Reggie refuses to do the dating show, his garage will be cut from the show and both he and Wes will be unemployed, meaning that they will no longer be able to see and look longingly at each other, even if from a distance. Wes and Reggie come up with a plan guaranteed to surprise the network executives that are trying to destroy both of their careers. In the process, they discover that maybe they don't need the network, the show, or the money, they just need each other. This story is a short read that doesn't have a lot a lot of angst or heavy dialogue. It’s a great story about a "David" winning a battle over a "Goliath" with the help of his sexy lover.… (plus d'informations)

This book takes up where Adrift, book #1, leaves off, so it is best to read that one before this one. Andrew and Eric are getting closer in their personal relationship and in just getting to know who they each are as an individual. They also begin experimenting more with what they each need from the other and are now established in a solid friendship that is headed for much more. I also really liked how the transgender element was presented and explored more in this story. Eric and Andrew spend a lot of the story silently questioning their own feelings, focusing a lot on how short the time span has been that they’ve known one another and concerting the realistic impact it could have on their chances of making it work as a couple going forward. Their thoughts and worries were rehashed more than they needed to be, but it all seemed very realistic when you consider the situation they were in and that they live on opposite sides of the U.S. Even after presenting and questioning all the pros and cons of making what they have last beyond their holiday trip, it was good to see they were both willing to take that BIG risk and put their hearts on the line for what they shared and had the chance to continue to share in the future. One thing that I also liked about this story was the in-depth descriptions given of all the extensive travel and sightseeing places that Eric and Andrew experienced while in Italy. Such vivid details of the places visited, and the reactions felt by each of them was beyond real. The places, the people, the food, and even the weather, was depicted so that readers who have never been to Italy before will be fascinated and enticed to perhaps take a journey. The characters of Eric and Andrew were perfect for this sweet, romantic read. Their connection was absolutely effortless from the very first time they met so it’s not hard to imagine them turning what was initially just a holiday fling, into something beautiful, worthwhile and lasting...all these things despite the obstacles they still face. Their story finished rather "open-ended" but it was still on a positive and hopeful note. I sincerely hope that L.A. Witt will allow us to see what comes next for these two characters. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the happy ending they so richly deserve. Another great one, Ms. Witt… (plus d'informations)