First Impressions by Christopher Koehler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First up, this is gay fiction not m/m romance although a romance is at the heart of the book.

"First Impressions" is one of the best books I've read this year. There is so much going for it, if you drop your prejudices, look beneath the surface and think about what the author is saying.

It makes a number of statements on a number of levels clothed in witty, irreverent and scathing dialogue as befits a gay writer doing exactly what Jane Austen did many years ago.

Forget about trying to draw the parallels with specific characters. They are there, but at times the lines blur. For example, Simon is sometimes said to be the Wickham character, but really he reminds me more of Elizabeth's friend Charlotte and her marriage of convenience to Mr Collins aka Henry's Uncle Brenton. The master stroke was making his alter ego, the drag queen as a beautiful rendition of Lady Catherine.

Just as in the original, the secondary characters are seen through the eyes of the long suffering quieter pair, Elizabeth and Darcy, or in this case Cameron and Henry. Their friends' frivolities and flaws stand out in marked contrast to the latter's more conservative behavior.

True, the antics can be at times over-the-top, because deep down the POV character, Cameron, makes no bones about the fact he's gay and allows the stereotypical acerbic gay wit to sneak through.

Some of the scenes in the book are priceless. Take for example the early scene in the diner where the four men have gathered on Cameron's birthday. Their sniping dialogue is very well done.

Reading this requires you to look underneath words and concentrate more on what characters do. Those with good hearts may on the surface appear bratty, selfish and out of control but that is often a front donned to protect themselves from the judgemental pricks of (and in) society.

There's also a very serious, thought-provoking discussion on what makes the perfect partner. Present are Cameron's mentors, Brent and Aspen (aka Mr and Mrs Gardiner) and Darren (aka Mr Bingham)

All I'd like to know is if Darren ends up with Thad or Van (or both maybe) that would be a perfect match.

So, if you've been put off reading the book because of negative reviews, do yourself a favor and read it without prejudice because I think the author should be proud of what he's written.

Mind you, you don't have to have read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy the story, and I'd forgotten hearing about the link until half way through. It doesn't try to recreate it in a different era or setting, but it is a comedy of manners, a sarcastic take on the society it's set in and a collection of some really memorable characters.

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Turning the Tables by Kim Dare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Check my stats. I read three times more books than I rate simply because I like to promote books I like, especially if I feel fellow readers might not come into contact with them or not read them because other people see them differently and rate them badly.

If I don't like a book, I usually don't rate or review it, recognising that it may be someone else's cup of tea and don't want to infuence them. Hence, I rarely write negative reviews, but I feel this book made some fundamental writing mistakes that I feel need to be stated. Of course, I may be in the minority here and that's fine.

Normally, I love Kim's books (see my last blog post!). But TTT not only didn't do it for me, the dynamics didn't ring true. The submissive Boss is a difficult character to pull off and make it feel real. There are only a few books that attempt to capture it and rarely do they make me believe it can happen and be healthy. "Uneven" is one that gets close, but it deals with a very specific type. I acknowledge the fact that there is no one "true" scenario in a BDSM relationship, nevertheless the writer has to sell me on the one they're trying to portray.

For starters, I feel the story should have started earlier. Then we could have seen how the other Doms treat their subs in the office atmosphere to get a better idea of why Jacob was so desperate not to be seen as being anything but in control. We were told he was afraid of being outed often enough, but we never saw why. Even if Jacob had considered the different pairings and the type of men in them more than just the "Peter Ingram is all Dom" being the only evidence offered. In any case, the latter just came across (in this story) as an insensitive brute who sensed something was going on but never talked about it.

Secondly, all the talk about being a Dom or a sub got stale after a while. Do guys think in those terms? Or would it be more in terms of being in control or losing control. Losing respect, being admired for being strong. Admitting to having unmet needs. The continual labelling of the relationship as Dom/sub made it seem like "play" rather than real.

Next, we were told repeatedly that Lee loved Jacob, but we were never told why or shown it. The story flips to his POV at times, but the only feeling I got was all centred around the Dom/sub label and nothing for Jacob as a person. His taste in food, clothing, what he drove, how he drove it. If Lee really loved Jacob as a person, we would see how he related to all these aspects of Jacob's life not just his submissiveness. I didn't see any reason for the younger man to love him. We're told he wanted to grab him and kiss him senseless, but why? I never saw Jacob do anything that would provoke this reaction.

I might have believed the story more if there had been a scene where Jacob secretly dreamed of having a collar around his neck. If he really is a submissive, wouldn't he have envied what Floyd and Carl had?

When he yelled at someone, did he secretly wish someone yelled at him just like that? If so, why? Excusing this as being just because he's submissive is a cop out. What was Mary like? Did she mother him? Protect him from everyone else.

Like with all Kim's writing, there were scenes that moved me. Usually when they were interacting in private and sex was involved... Lol.

But to reiterate, the main problem was that Jacob's fear of being "found out" didn't ring true. I can appreciate the fact that it's difficult to depict a situation where the person viewing the scene doesn't understand the scenario, and therefore doesn't get what dominance and submission is about beyond the labels, but by not showing the scenes at all, the reader has nothing to back up the premise that underpins the book.

Possibly the book is a victim of a restricted word count.

One book I feel where this issue could be explored more thoroughly is if Kim ever decides to write Hamilton's story in her avian shifter series.

From what I can gather about the submissive boss dynamic, the person needs an outlet outside of work where he can let go. In many vanilla heterosexual relationships this is the norm. Many men, even in they don't realize it, are under the control of their wives inside the house even if that never shows in public. They are happy with this setup. It doesn't mean they have to rant and rave as bosses or that they are pussy-whipped at home. Some are very good bosses, but by the time they get home, they have had enough. That's the psychological form.

Kim's Jacob exhibited the different dynamic where the boss felt he needed to be punished. This can get into a whole different mindset where his past must be explored. Unresolved guilt questioned. Early abuse checked for. Kim, being English, has possibly seen this dynamic with Members of Parliament being caught with their pants down being whipped by a Domme in high heels and scanty leather.

Is it because they have a true pain kink or are deeper psychological issues involved? Is it that after caring for other people at work they need to feel someone cares for them and they are the centre of someone else's attention? Some of Joey Hill's books explore this theme in an m/f environment. Translating this to m/m, with the Dom being younger, (possibly - but not in this case) physically weaker, holding a lesser rung on the corporate ladder is the tricky thing.

Dom/sub relationships are very much about the tight links that bind people together. During scenes, the total focus is on the other person. In an age where there may be thousands of virtual or fleeting relationships, having one that is one hundred percent focussed can be the true need.



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Magpie by Kim Dare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rarely have I received as much pleasure from $5.99 as I did when I read Kim Dare’s “Magpie”. Like one of the breed that starred in her latest avian shifter story, I had been eyeing off the bright, shiny offering as soon as it was released, not daring to get too close in case it wasn’t as glittering as the previous book, “Duck”.

I shouldn’t have worried. From the first page, she had me as enthralled with the story as Kane was by any coveted trinket. In fact, as I read, I could identify more and more with his cravings because my love for Kim Dare’s stories are the same.

Deep down, I know there are probably more worthwhile books on the market -- ones that offer deeper characterization, more elaborate plots, more meaningful relationships -- but I can’t resist them. I have them all squirreled away on my ebook reader so I can visit them from time to time, having read each so often that I only need to look at the title to recall exactly what went on. Yet, just like a magpie who can’t resist touching bright shiny things, I’ll re-read them to gain that instant gratification.

Kim Dare is a masterful story teller. True, a harsh critic might say her stories have a sameness to them, but it’s the reassuring kind of sameness that a Master gives to his submissives, giving them exactly what they expect, so they can take comfort from that knowledge. There must be some part of me that needs the kind of reassurance that Kim deals out in spades.

Like “Duck” though, the increased word count allows Kim to offer more than just the quick fix. This is the soup tureen or the magnificent epergne in the middle of the table, rather than the silver cutlery or goblets that grace the edges. Kim’s depiction of the way Kane suffers through his withdrawal, and the patience and steadfastness Everet exhibits as he demonstrates to the thieving magpie that nurture can overcome nature are magnificently crafted.

The scene as Everet accepts punishment on Kane’s behalf won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

A lot of psychology goes into Kim’s writing. Each person gets exactly what they need to make the partnership work. Yet, Everet and Kane’s needs bear little resemblance to Raynard and Ori’s which were all about pecking order. I’d love to discover whether this is just instinctive on Kim’s part, or if she has researched what makes people tick.

I even enjoy seeing minor characters behaving badly because I know that their flaws will be addressed in future stories. Her eagle, Hamilton's, pride will definitely come before a fall. I look forward to seeing what she does with him.

Kim has an understanding of people that is sometimes overlooked when discussing her books. Perhaps her characters are just stereotypes, but if so, she always has a wonderfully fresh way of presenting them to the reader.

The only niggle were the three or four typos that jumped out at me. These should have been found by a half-decent copy editor. But these were only minor blemishes on the surface and were easily brushed away. “Magpie” is still a super, shiny bauble.


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