Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Jett's a tough kid, fighting his way through life and slinging dope to survive on the mean streets of South Central Los Angeles. When he’s arrested in a dragnet meant to clear the streets of dealers like him, Jett sees no way out. Danger awaits him in prison or in the hood. But Detective Cassidy Ryan sees potential in the handsome young man and asks a friend to help.

Phoenix, the illustrious Master P, is well-known for his love of submissive young men, and won’t turn down a friend’s request to help a troubled young man find his way. Cut from different cloth, but very much the same, Phoenix and Jett can only bump heads until a revelation causes Terrance—Master T—to take over as Jett’s training.

Master T is known for his direct, unyielding approach with his submissives. He won’t allow Jett to hide anything from him, intent on breaking down every emotional wall and finding the core submissive spirit hidden within. Will Jett find a way to connect with Master T or will his fears prevent him from accepting his true nature?

Book Review

This second book in the 'Master's Boys' series was, in many ways, more disturbing for me to read than the first because the level of exploitation that goes on is even worse. DOMZ.com is a business built on streaming live submissive training sessions over the internet. Seeing them as the "saviors" for homeless boys who have nowhere else to go and who become emotionally dependent on their "benevolent" masters, is highly questionable in my mind. Yes, the young men are now off the streets, and in Jett's case, safe from physical threats, but is becoming paid sex workers really all they are supposed to want in life? Especially the ones like Jett who have great grades and could go on to college? I'll have to see where the series takes this, but I honestly struggle with the idea.

Jett is a black kid who grew up in an LA housing project and sells drugs to survive. He is barely eighteen, and has to hide that he is gay so he can survive his gang's rigid "moral" standards. The emotional walls he has built around himself are significant. When LAPD finally arrests him, he gets off under Proposition 36 that allows first-time offenders to be rehabilitated outside of prison. Cassidy, the boyfriend of DOMZ's owner, offers him a place and a mentor at DOMZ, but never explains what Jett is expected to do. That just isn’t right. Then Jett is assigned Master P to train him, but all his experiences with white men have been negative. Nobody at DOMZ seems to even have considered that. Master Terrance, a black Dom, steps forward, but the things Jett is put through are brutal on an emotional level, so be warned. They help him see things differently, since the emotional walls are now gone, but it is tough going. It's one way to approach the situation, and probably the fastest, but I can't help but regret Master T didn't try it another way first. 

Master Terrance is effective at getting through to Jett, and he does seem to be a little more decent than Master P in the end, but his methods re pretty rough. Confronting Jett with his greatest fears without having built even a little trust is just mean, and to expect Jett to just obey is wrong. Master T, at least, understands that Jett will need his full dedication to recover from what he's put the boy through, and I have high hopes they will work it out.

Even though this is Jett's story, mainly, I got to see a little more of Trick and Master P as well. Trick is only now beginning to understand his situation and I was heartbroken by his despair. I thought it was cruel of Master P to keep "working" with other boys, and the true cost for Trick becomes visible here. The poor man has fallen in love, but Master P doesn't want to see it. He does notice "something is wrong" when Trick throws up after Master P tells him he's taking on another sub, but Trick is too good at hiding his true feelings for fear of being kicked out, and Master P is too eager on "working" like always so he doesn't  really want to see the problem. I'm afraid I'll have to wait until the next book to see if Master P is finally going to pull his head out of his behind.

So, like with book one, if you’re looking for a romance, you will be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you want a look at the grittier side of life, if you think you'd enjoy a romanticized version of what it's like to be a sex worker, and if you’re looking for a hot read where a strong Master helps a desperate boy to discover that he is a sub, then proceeds to break down his emotional walls, then you will probably enjoy this novella.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the author for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 36000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	04-April-2013
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-jett-1151950-145.html