Book Reviews

Book Blurb

When Scott Evans sends an anonymous invitation to the dominant he’s fantasised about for months, he just hopes that Joe Stuart will be curious enough to turn up at the specified address and do a scene with him. 

It never occurs to Scott that Joe will send a note back to him, or that something as simple as writing a letter could evolve into a kinky game that will test both men to the limit. 

Orders, pleas, kinks and even love—there’s nothing a letter can’t contain once two hot and passionate guys start Pushing The Envelope.

Author's Note: This work was previously published in fourteen short story installments. The existing parts of the story have been tweaked and re-edited, and two entirely new installments have been added. This edition is the first time all the installments have been brought together in e-book form.

Book Review

It’s been a while since the ‘Pushing the Envelope’ stories were published as a series of short stories, and I was jubilant to see that Kim Dare isn’t only self-publishing them as a single book, but that she has added two whole new stories! I never got enough of Scott and Joe the first time around – and, truth be told, I’m still not bored with them - and this rerelease has given me a great “excuse” to go back and read about their pretty unique way of getting together and exploring their kinky side. You see, Scott is a very shy young man (to the point that he stutters when he is flustered or excited), and he can’t get himself to walk up to Joe, the Dom he is interested in, and ask for what he wants – which is to submit. So instead, he sends a letter.

And that is the way these stories are linked together: each installment begins with one of the two men, in alternating order, sending the other a letter. For Scott these missives are an opportunity to express what he fantasizes about and what he is interested in. For Joe, they are ways to test Scott’s determination and obedience. The gradual way they find out how well they fit together is delightful, and it gives them plenty of time to change and grow in their BDSM play, as well as allowing for a budding romance that gets hotter and hotter with each installment.

Interestingly, the story starts from Joe’s point of view. I liked the fact that I got to register his surprise and delight at Scott offering himself up. Joe decides to be careful, always good when you don’t know your partner, and spends time figuring out what Scott wants and what he is ready for. At the same time as all this relatively rational reasoning is going on, the underlying sensuality is clearly making an impression on Joe. With Scott, I got to see the opposite side of the coin. Sensuality, desire, and lust are very much on the surface for him, with the occasional rational thought - or the attempt at rational thought - trying to break through. Scott may be the one who initiated the whole exchange, but he does not stay in control. Exactly as he intended, he is a sub, after all, and exactly as Joe wants.

Each step in this back-and-forth dance is well developed and brings its own challenges. As much fun as the first few tentative episodes are, and as hot as the scenes get by the middle of the book, the final two parts are still my favorites in many ways. By that point, both men have recognized and admitted that there is a lot more than lust between them. But Scott, unbelievable as that may be to the objective observer, still has some doubts as to his importance for Joe. They may be deep down, but they are still present. Joe, of course, has figured this out, and cleverly designs a way to solve this issue once and for all. Scott settling down into complete acceptance was a great ending point. Not only is he now sure he is a sub, but he is also sure of Joe's love – and his own "worthiness” of that love. Joe has finally done his job as a Dom: he has reassured Scott, made him feel secure in his role, and has told him he loves him in more than one way. His reward is to see Scott believe him, and relax into the role of a sub, his sub all the way. I loved the way Joe finally takes over entirely, now that he has Scott's "permission" to do so. He is clearly made for the role, and the symbol of Scott's importance was just what I had expected - and no, it isn’t the collar, there is a far more subtle sign as well, which is just brilliant.

If you like D/s stories that focus on two men figuring out if they fit together beyond the bedroom as well as all the kinky stuff they can come up with, if you enjoy reading about two very hot lovers who cannot wait to get naked together, yet make sure they both understand what it means – each particular time they get together and in the context of sharing their lives fully, and if you’re up for a creative exploration of kink and BDSM, you will probably like this novel as much as I do. This is a fantastic story that entertained and amused me in equal measure and I suspect will do so again every time I revisit it in the future. Well done, Kim, and thank you!

 

 

 

 

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	Novel, 375 pages/125000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	15-September-2016
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Pushing-Envelope-Kim-Dare-ebook/dp/B01LDECQUS