Overall, a really great book, with a lot of great kinks, some lovely relationships, some great humor (there's a joke near the end that made me laugh so hard), and just... it's very good. I love both protagonists. I love all the side characters. I loved the softness of it, alongside the intensity. The way it dealt with touch starvation and trauma. It was really nice.

Part of it is also just... not necessarily for me. One of the protagonists is in SWAT, and there's a scene late in the book that's too similar to a regular concern I faced at a former (and perhaps future) workplace. It takes up a good chunk of the ending, and I honestly read it as fast as I could because I was just really uncomfortable with it. I think the author deserves kudos for accuracy on that front. The entire book's handling of that character is quite enjoyable. Of course there are a few very tired lawyer stereotypes. Not the worst ones, but well...

Also I think... this could use more commas. There were places where sentences needed pauses, and they kept not being there, and it felt like a lot of this was stream of consciousness when it clearly wasn't meant to be. The pacing in this is so good that the continuous lack of necessary commas was kind of distracting.

This gets five stars because the writing is just that good all around, with really great characters, and I honestly think someone without my hang-ups would love it just fine. Parts of the ending are particularly poignant, and the way characters handle the complicated relationships herein isn't something I've encountered elsewhere. ( )

Honestly just SO good. I'd become very cynical lately, thinking maybe there was something wrong with *me* that I couldn't find any five star m/m reads, but no, it turns out there are still diamonds out there, polished and faceted and near perfect.

And this is one of them. ( )

Definitely recommend this book!

BDSM that follows RACK and SSC without being unrealistic or boring ? check



Polyamory that is not blown out of proportion and is actually pretty sweet and understandable? check

Crazy Wiccan lesbian baristas? check

Entertaining (if not slightly distracting and far fetched) subplot that makes you shout mean things at the mcs? double check

With an added bonus of my fave guilty pleasure..... big beefy scary sub and tiny scholarly Dominant. Mmmm irony!

SammiSue ( )