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Without a Net
Oliver Robertson has been assigned to go undercover in one of the shade clubs that litter the seedier parts of town. He has never engaged in the sort of edge play found in those places, preferring the BDSM in the more mainstream control clubs. However, to find the criminals behind a series of kidnappings, he must go in undercover as a shade sub. The mission becomes more complicated when his captain asks him to collect evidence against a lieutenant who might be a dirty cop.
The case quickly gets out of hand, and Ollie finds himself caught between wanting to do his job and not knowing who to trust. That confusion grows worse when a number of sexy and dominant men challenge his assumption that he prefers safe, contractually negotiated sex. It turns out he has more of a wild side than he expected, and given that he’s surrounded by dangerous men, and he can’t distinguish the good guys from the bad, that’s terrifying.
When Ollie gives his trust to Travis Goode, a dominant who appears to be a federal agent, he might be making the connection of a lifetime or dooming himself forever.
Publisher's Note: Contains dark BDSM elements.
Copyright © Lyn Gala
The case quickly gets out of hand, and Ollie finds himself caught between wanting to do his job and not knowing who to trust. That confusion grows worse when a number of sexy and dominant men challenge his assumption that he prefers safe, contractually negotiated sex. It turns out he has more of a wild side than he expected, and given that he’s surrounded by dangerous men, and he can’t distinguish the good guys from the bad, that’s terrifying.
When Ollie gives his trust to Travis Goode, a dominant who appears to be a federal agent, he might be making the connection of a lifetime or dooming himself forever.
Publisher's Note: Contains dark BDSM elements.
Copyright © Lyn Gala
266 pages, ebook
First published August 24, 2015
About the author
Lyn Gala
47 books1,112 followersLynsey "Lyn" Gala started writing in the back of her science notebook in third grade and hasn’t stopped since. Westerns starring men with shady pasts gave way to science fiction with questionable protagonists which eventually gave in to any story with a morally ambiguous character. Even the purest heroes have pain and loss and darkness in their hearts, and that’s where she likes to find her stories. Her characters seek to better themselves and find the happy ending (or happier anyway), but it’s writing the struggle that inspires her muse. When she isn’t writing, Lyn Gala teaches in New Mexico.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
She first cut her teeth on fanfic: gen, slash, het, and femslash. She prefers to focus on plot: mysteries and monsters and disasters, oh my, but sex can and does happen. Some of her stories focus on power exchange, bondage or bdsm. In her worlds, tops and bottoms are all mature, consenting adults. In fact, stories where they aren't squick her badly, so don't expect to find abuse stories in her journal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
August 29, 2015
Not what I was expecting, and more than a little disappointed.
A huge problem with the story is that the circumstances of it being the future or AU is not clearly delineated when you start. All of a sudden, getting quips about Mars' colonies 70% through the story is disconcerting. All the technology is contemporary and there are no obvious identifiers that this is anything but a contemporary novel.
The gender politics speak is way too much, over-the-top and off-putting, an inelegant crash course in gender neutral terms. The beginning with all the cisgender calling out leads one to think that there is a transgender or gender fluid character in full play--nope. So, the rhetoric comes off sounding like an afterschool special.
Then there are continuity issues and startling coincidences. Characters are presented ambiguously so that one is constantly questioning everyone but Ollie, the main character and our pov. Problem: I never connected with Ollie.
The whole BDSM control versus shade clubs, definitely highlighting the divide among practioners and coming down on a side. In my opinion, it comes down trying to be more inclusive if emphasizing personal responsibility, but also implies that shade players have been either "broken" or "rewired" and that is why it works for them.
Not thrilled with the easy target of corrupt police departments in today's atmosphere--I really don't believe we need fictional shit stirring that pot. There's enough real life problems.
Really not thrilled that a police officer refused to file charges against a person who kidnapped, tortured, and raped them. I don't care if you understand their motivations--it's the FUCKING LAW for a reason. You don't make arrests because you feel like and likewise, you don't not press charges because you understand. Trial decides guilt and an sworn officer should not be making that choice let alone being hired by the FBI. OH HELL NO. THERE'S A PROCESS. Ollie is unwilling to follow due process.This Disney ending is bullshit.
At some point, I wanted to kill everyone in this book, more than once. And the fact that one character--Milan--was held up as acceptable is NOT ACCEPTABLE. There's morally gray and there's predatory, the line is pretty clear here and author tries to smudge it. So, I have a huge ethical issue with this character being presented as anything but unacceptable in a book that is making hay about ethics.
Frankly, it derided police, then pointed out how one FBI agent was so by the book he was wrong?, and then this not-going-to-happen ending. This plays the suspense card, but the holes, impersonalization, and mixed messages really takes away from the story. I'm torn between one and two stars, and may change my rating later. After my last Gala story which I rated five stars, this was a let down.
Overall, a muddle of salacious taboo BDSM practices and gender politics.
*********************************
Buddy Read with Emma & Everyone WHOO shows up. Looking at you Maygirl & Reflection & Samantha! :)
ETA: Samantha, because my oversight was egregious.
A huge problem with the story is that the circumstances of it being the future or AU is not clearly delineated when you start. All of a sudden, getting quips about Mars' colonies 70% through the story is disconcerting. All the technology is contemporary and there are no obvious identifiers that this is anything but a contemporary novel.
The gender politics speak is way too much, over-the-top and off-putting, an inelegant crash course in gender neutral terms. The beginning with all the cisgender calling out leads one to think that there is a transgender or gender fluid character in full play--nope. So, the rhetoric comes off sounding like an afterschool special.
Then there are continuity issues and startling coincidences. Characters are presented ambiguously so that one is constantly questioning everyone but Ollie, the main character and our pov. Problem: I never connected with Ollie.
The whole BDSM control versus shade clubs, definitely highlighting the divide among practioners and coming down on a side. In my opinion, it comes down trying to be more inclusive if emphasizing personal responsibility, but also implies that shade players have been either "broken" or "rewired" and that is why it works for them.
Not thrilled with the easy target of corrupt police departments in today's atmosphere--I really don't believe we need fictional shit stirring that pot. There's enough real life problems.
Really not thrilled that a police officer refused to file charges against a person who kidnapped, tortured, and raped them. I don't care if you understand their motivations--it's the FUCKING LAW for a reason. You don't make arrests because you feel like and likewise, you don't not press charges because you understand. Trial decides guilt and an sworn officer should not be making that choice let alone being hired by the FBI. OH HELL NO. THERE'S A PROCESS. Ollie is unwilling to follow due process.This Disney ending is bullshit.
At some point, I wanted to kill everyone in this book, more than once. And the fact that one character--Milan--was held up as acceptable is NOT ACCEPTABLE. There's morally gray and there's predatory, the line is pretty clear here and author tries to smudge it. So, I have a huge ethical issue with this character being presented as anything but unacceptable in a book that is making hay about ethics.
Frankly, it derided police, then pointed out how one FBI agent was so by the book he was wrong?, and then this not-going-to-happen ending. This plays the suspense card, but the holes, impersonalization, and mixed messages really takes away from the story. I'm torn between one and two stars, and may change my rating later. After my last Gala story which I rated five stars, this was a let down.
Overall, a muddle of salacious taboo BDSM practices and gender politics.
*********************************
Buddy Read with Emma & Everyone WHOO shows up. Looking at you Maygirl & Reflection & Samantha! :)
ETA: Samantha, because my oversight was egregious.
November 6, 2016
4.5 stars
OK, are you ready for this gigantic mind-fuck?
It's several decades in the future and BDSM clubs have graduated from your standard safe/sane/consensual control types to what are called shade clubs. There are no safe words in shade clubs. There is no one monitoring play to make sure things stay safe, sane and consensual. It's anything goes and only the riskiest of risk takers need apply. They are legal, but you leave your training wheels at the door. Edge play is the standard.
Police officer Oliver Robertson, who is a regular in the BDSM lifestyle and frequents control clubs as a submissive, has been assigned to go undercover at a shade club as a shade sub. He applies for a job at the Happy Whip club and is given the shake-down by the staff to judge just how much he can handle. He passes and takes a job as a waiter. And here is where the mind fucking starts.
Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Who are the Doms and who are the subs? Who else is undercover? Meanwhile, Ollie is being trained as a shade sub and is quickly losing his sense of self and develops Stockholm syndrome. Yikes! I was starting to get pretty uncomfortable with the dubious consent and torture and then Lyn Gala pulls the rug out from under my feet and... HOLY SHIT! Mind fuck much?
Lyn Gala explains a bit about how this book took shape on here blog. Click here to read the entire post, an excerpt is quoted below.
This is hard core BDSM on steroids. There are no hearts and flowers. No romance. No sweet-nothings. Officer Robertson is put through the physical and emotional wringer. But I can guarantee you, if the rough stuff is your bag, you are going to devour this book. It is scary and thrilling and titillating and seriously fucked up. I loved it!
And the best part? After witnessing Ollie go through hell, Ms. Gala gives us a HEA worth singing about.
Anything less than a big 'ol solid HEA, and I'd have brought my pitchfork to Ms. Gala's front door.
If you like it rough and dirty with a hero worth rooting for until the end, this book is for you! HIGHLY recommended.
This cover gets ALL the stars!
Advance review copy provided by http://loose-id.com/ in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been crossed posted to Jessewave
OK, are you ready for this gigantic mind-fuck?
It's several decades in the future and BDSM clubs have graduated from your standard safe/sane/consensual control types to what are called shade clubs. There are no safe words in shade clubs. There is no one monitoring play to make sure things stay safe, sane and consensual. It's anything goes and only the riskiest of risk takers need apply. They are legal, but you leave your training wheels at the door. Edge play is the standard.
Police officer Oliver Robertson, who is a regular in the BDSM lifestyle and frequents control clubs as a submissive, has been assigned to go undercover at a shade club as a shade sub. He applies for a job at the Happy Whip club and is given the shake-down by the staff to judge just how much he can handle. He passes and takes a job as a waiter. And here is where the mind fucking starts.
Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys? Who are the Doms and who are the subs? Who else is undercover? Meanwhile, Ollie is being trained as a shade sub and is quickly losing his sense of self and develops Stockholm syndrome. Yikes! I was starting to get pretty uncomfortable with the dubious consent and torture and then Lyn Gala pulls the rug out from under my feet and... HOLY SHIT! Mind fuck much?
Lyn Gala explains a bit about how this book took shape on here blog. Click here to read the entire post, an excerpt is quoted below.
This time my mother got cancer less than a year out of the hospital after a series of strokes that nearly killed her. So I wrote the first two 10K stories of a Hercules series where his 12 labors basically become a long series of abuse and dub-con. Yeah, I don't know that those stories will every go past my flist.
And I wrote Without a Net. Does Ollie come through in the end? Hey, this is me. I do get to the happy or at least happier ending. However, this is dark and abusive and grim. Ollie is a tough sub, a cop who can endure anything if he has that glimmer of hope that he might get to shoot someone in the head on the other side. However, some readers are going to hate how much he goes through before he gets a chance.
This is hard core BDSM on steroids. There are no hearts and flowers. No romance. No sweet-nothings. Officer Robertson is put through the physical and emotional wringer. But I can guarantee you, if the rough stuff is your bag, you are going to devour this book. It is scary and thrilling and titillating and seriously fucked up. I loved it!
And the best part? After witnessing Ollie go through hell, Ms. Gala gives us a HEA worth singing about.
Anything less than a big 'ol solid HEA, and I'd have brought my pitchfork to Ms. Gala's front door.
If you like it rough and dirty with a hero worth rooting for until the end, this book is for you! HIGHLY recommended.
This cover gets ALL the stars!
Advance review copy provided by http://loose-id.com/ in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been crossed posted to Jessewave
August 30, 2015
While this was not the book for me, Gigi's lovely review offers an alternative viewpoint, as does Reflection's thoughtful review.
I remain a huge Lyn Gala fan; I am not the reader for this book. You may be!
I remain a huge Lyn Gala fan; I am not the reader for this book. You may be!
October 30, 2015
I read some of the early reviews of Without a Net and was more than a little trepidatious about charging in. Considering I've publicly declared my love for LG multiple times it was a little panic inducing to consider the possibility that I might have to give a less favorable review.
Thankfully, *manic laugh* that didn't happen!
Initially there was quite a bit of gender and sexuality labeling which filled me with dread. I believe I've made my feels known on the whole labeling thing, but I feel like I should splain a bit to avoid any butt hurtedness. You see, I cut my reading teeth in the thriller genre. When I moved into romance/erotica that came with certain concessions namely that 99.9% of the time an HEA/HFN is a given, so the only puzzle pieces I'm left to play with are character development and I like dissecting characters (and people in general but that's not a topic for this review) so when that's taken away from me it takes the fun out of it. For me. Which was my chief complaint about Turbulence, but it didn't last overlong here nor did I find it excessive. Awkward? Yes. Unnecessary? Maybe. Excessive? No.
What I did find strange was the lack of world building. It's set sometime in the not too distant future with only minor differences between now and then which begs the question why not use a contemporary setting? Of which I'm mostly sure the answer would be the shade vs. control clubs. To my mind shade is to RACK what control is to SSC and I'm back to a contemporary setting with a thriller thread running through it akin to L.A. Confidential, one of my favorite movies.
Ollie is a cop who's clearly being discriminated against and his captain calls upon him to go undercover in a sting operation to root out the corrupt officers. Up to this point Ollie's only ever played in the control clubs and holds a certain amount of animosity towards the shade clubs. He gets a fast education right out of the starting gate though. The whole first scene between him, Buck and Allemande was brilliantly executed. It exemplified what I like best about LG's writing. While it is intense and harsh it perfectly illustrates the difference between observing an act and being on the receiving end of it.
Shortly thereafter Ollie comes into contact with Malin. Malin who is so dominant I could actually feel the dominance wafting off my kindle has plans of his own and soon shows Ollie what shade domination can be. Malin is unscrupulous and kind of a bastard, but I'd read a book with him as the MC. In a heartbeat. Because unflappable BAMF! He's friends with a federal agent who just so happens to be Ollie's neighbor, Travis, whom Ollie's been attempting in vain to deny his attraction to. So it's fair to say Travis and Ollie have chemistry from the start and it only intensifies as they join forces and go undercover. Travis is a seasoned shade dom and Ollie poses as the well trained (read "broken in") shade sub. To lend authenticity they maintain their roles leading up to the meet.
Seemingly, the most important variant between shade and control is trust and Ollie implicitly trusts Travis. The deeper their connection becomes the more Ollie comes to realize that shade subbing is his preference. Now he just has to figure out how to keep his chosen shade dom. LG showed all of Ollie's evolution, insights, desires and angst with aplomb. This is LG's bread and butter if you ask me. She never fails to show how her characters feel about one another even from a singular perspective.
Ollie's a strong character who knows his own mind and isn't afraid to go toe to toe with Travis despite Travis' intimidating demeanor. He's also very forgiving. I'm not sure I would've been as forgiving in his shoes, but I respect why he makes his decisions. Also, I found it refreshing that he and Travis are equals in and out of the bedroom/play room/living room. Ollie's never portrayed as fragile or meek as many are wont to do with a sexually submissive character. And let me tell you the sex is HOOOOOOTTTTT!!!!!!
After the case concludes there is one major dubious consent fly in the ointment that keeps Travis from pursuing a relationship. But the connection they have won't be denied. Try as they might it's clear they're both miserable and stubborn; a match made in heaven or by an unethical friend who's got some unorthodox methods. Tomato. Tomahto.
It's like I'm falling out of bed
From a long, weary dream
The sweetest flowers and fruits hang from the trees
Falling off the giant bird that’s been carrying me
It's like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream
Just exactly as I remember
Every word
Every gesture
I'm a heart in cold ground
Like I'm falling out of bed
From a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying
Every woman blows her cover
In the eye of the beholder
I'm a fish now out of water
Falling off a giant bird that's been carrying me
I fell open
I laid under
At the tip out
I was just a number
I wanna slip it over
And get back under
And if you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
Like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying
When I ask you again
When I ask you again
Wake me up, wake me up
~Radiohead
I loved every minute of how their relationship played out from the authentic dialogue to the secondary characters who pushed and nudged when it was needed and added positively to the narrative, but I especially loved that they meet each other half way. To me it solidified their partnership.
Highly recommend to fans of kink.
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Thankfully, *manic laugh* that didn't happen!
Initially there was quite a bit of gender and sexuality labeling which filled me with dread. I believe I've made my feels known on the whole labeling thing, but I feel like I should splain a bit to avoid any butt hurtedness. You see, I cut my reading teeth in the thriller genre. When I moved into romance/erotica that came with certain concessions namely that 99.9% of the time an HEA/HFN is a given, so the only puzzle pieces I'm left to play with are character development and I like dissecting characters (and people in general but that's not a topic for this review) so when that's taken away from me it takes the fun out of it. For me. Which was my chief complaint about Turbulence, but it didn't last overlong here nor did I find it excessive. Awkward? Yes. Unnecessary? Maybe. Excessive? No.
What I did find strange was the lack of world building. It's set sometime in the not too distant future with only minor differences between now and then which begs the question why not use a contemporary setting? Of which I'm mostly sure the answer would be the shade vs. control clubs. To my mind shade is to RACK what control is to SSC and I'm back to a contemporary setting with a thriller thread running through it akin to L.A. Confidential, one of my favorite movies.
"If we were in a relationship, I would be a shade Dom. I would know every twitch of your body better than you do, and I would enjoy playing with every reaction. You'd give up your safe word, not because I wanted to hurt you, but because I planned to drive you so far into an endorphin reaction that you couldn't use it even if you were in serious trouble."
Ollie is a cop who's clearly being discriminated against and his captain calls upon him to go undercover in a sting operation to root out the corrupt officers. Up to this point Ollie's only ever played in the control clubs and holds a certain amount of animosity towards the shade clubs. He gets a fast education right out of the starting gate though. The whole first scene between him, Buck and Allemande was brilliantly executed. It exemplified what I like best about LG's writing. While it is intense and harsh it perfectly illustrates the difference between observing an act and being on the receiving end of it.
"Sometimes the head gets rewired and you can't go back."
Shortly thereafter Ollie comes into contact with Malin. Malin who is so dominant I could actually feel the dominance wafting off my kindle has plans of his own and soon shows Ollie what shade domination can be. Malin is unscrupulous and kind of a bastard, but I'd read a book with him as the MC. In a heartbeat. Because unflappable BAMF! He's friends with a federal agent who just so happens to be Ollie's neighbor, Travis, whom Ollie's been attempting in vain to deny his attraction to. So it's fair to say Travis and Ollie have chemistry from the start and it only intensifies as they join forces and go undercover. Travis is a seasoned shade dom and Ollie poses as the well trained (read "broken in") shade sub. To lend authenticity they maintain their roles leading up to the meet.
Seemingly, the most important variant between shade and control is trust and Ollie implicitly trusts Travis. The deeper their connection becomes the more Ollie comes to realize that shade subbing is his preference. Now he just has to figure out how to keep his chosen shade dom. LG showed all of Ollie's evolution, insights, desires and angst with aplomb. This is LG's bread and butter if you ask me. She never fails to show how her characters feel about one another even from a singular perspective.
Ollie's a strong character who knows his own mind and isn't afraid to go toe to toe with Travis despite Travis' intimidating demeanor. He's also very forgiving. I'm not sure I would've been as forgiving in his shoes, but I respect why he makes his decisions. Also, I found it refreshing that he and Travis are equals in and out of the bedroom/play room/living room. Ollie's never portrayed as fragile or meek as many are wont to do with a sexually submissive character. And let me tell you the sex is HOOOOOOTTTTT!!!!!!
After the case concludes there is one major dubious consent fly in the ointment that keeps Travis from pursuing a relationship. But the connection they have won't be denied. Try as they might it's clear they're both miserable and stubborn; a match made in heaven or by an unethical friend who's got some unorthodox methods. Tomato. Tomahto.
It's like I'm falling out of bed
From a long, weary dream
The sweetest flowers and fruits hang from the trees
Falling off the giant bird that’s been carrying me
It's like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream
Just exactly as I remember
Every word
Every gesture
I'm a heart in cold ground
Like I'm falling out of bed
From a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying
Every woman blows her cover
In the eye of the beholder
I'm a fish now out of water
Falling off a giant bird that's been carrying me
I fell open
I laid under
At the tip out
I was just a number
I wanna slip it over
And get back under
And if you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
If you think this is over
Then you're wrong
Like I'm falling out of bed from a long and weary dream
Finally I'm free of all the weight I've been carrying
When I ask you again
When I ask you again
Wake me up, wake me up
~Radiohead
I loved every minute of how their relationship played out from the authentic dialogue to the secondary characters who pushed and nudged when it was needed and added positively to the narrative, but I especially loved that they meet each other half way. To me it solidified their partnership.
Highly recommend to fans of kink.
A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 30, 2015An idealistic sub going undercover in a shade club--a D/s club that caters to edge play and all the darker forms of domination. What could go wrong there? Add in potential backstabbing and organized crime, drop this into a near-future set twenty or thirty years from now and see how Ollie handles his latest case. If you have a question, you know you can always ask.
August 30, 2015
*3.5 stars rounded down, because I'm feeling picky
This story has given me some pause for thought, and not only because the content is quite harsh with several unexpected twists and turns that kept me wondering what might happen next.
I found myself with an urge to read something deliciously dark and twisted and if it had guys in bondage and dubious consent, then so much the better.
Without a Net seems flawed just like its protagonists. If they were finally able to overlook each other's faults in return for appreciation of the whole I am inclined to do the same with the story.
I believe the story is set in the near future which I found somewhat contrived. I think it would be more convincing as AU. The 'future' was not that different from present day, apparently just a little more advanced technology plus occasional slightly jarring references (such as settlement on Mars); and the proliferation of BDSM clubs either 'controlled' or 'shade' - the former being those who negotiate sane and consensual sex and the latter where there are no safe words and anything goes.
Detective Ollie Robertson already enjoys a BDSM lifestyle in control clubs as a submissive. He is assigned an undercover investigation to find whether drugs, rape or potentially a slaving ring might be operating within the shade club Happy Whip. Being a shade sub is a potentially daunting and high risk strategy. Ollie's mission is further complicated by his personal concerns that he may be compromised and not have the backup and support of all his colleagues in vice.
Surreptitiously Detective Robertson agrees to launch a sting on vice Lieutenant Huda on whom he shares his boss's assessment that Huda might be a "phobic little shit" who "slimed his way" into the police department; and so begins a life or death game of double cross with no certainty of who the good guys might be.
The author says in her dedication that 'I put a lot of my pain into this story, and watching Ollie survive made me feel better.' Possibly if she was experiencing difficult times, the story may have suffered some. There are a few minor inconsistencies; and as Ollie becomes more deeply embroiled the elements of his primary investigation is overlooked.
There seemed to be an over emphasis on gender politics; and midway through there is (in my opinion) an unnecessary use of gender neutral terms . I found the writing style inconsistent, occasionally clumsy; then flowing with vibrancy and complexity.
What I loved about the story is the moral vicissitudes and the textures of ambiguity around trust, consensual play and themes of personal responsibility and consequence.
Unexpectedly in his torment Ollie discovers a potential love interest however the brutality that Ollie has endured is a catalyst for both men to navigate a moral quagmire of guilt and introspection that could impact their burgeoning relationship.
I loved the emotional complexity:
And:
I was intrigued by the depiction of Ollie's experiences, often grim and darkly abusive. He has strength, integrity, grit and fortitude. Ollie constantly assesses the situation, he gathers information and analyses his constantly changing circumstance.
At heart Ollie is a good guy with a strong moral compass, and he gradually finds allies who may not share all his views but they provide support when he needs it most. Without a Net provides glimpses of hope in a bleak and complex future world.
This is not for everyone, and there is an exploration of rape and consent which I think could have been mentioned within the blurb.
*********************************
Buddy Read with Emma Sea, Vivian, Maygirl & Samantha! :)
This story has given me some pause for thought, and not only because the content is quite harsh with several unexpected twists and turns that kept me wondering what might happen next.
I found myself with an urge to read something deliciously dark and twisted and if it had guys in bondage and dubious consent, then so much the better.
Without a Net seems flawed just like its protagonists. If they were finally able to overlook each other's faults in return for appreciation of the whole I am inclined to do the same with the story.
I believe the story is set in the near future which I found somewhat contrived. I think it would be more convincing as AU. The 'future' was not that different from present day, apparently just a little more advanced technology plus occasional slightly jarring references (such as settlement on Mars); and the proliferation of BDSM clubs either 'controlled' or 'shade' - the former being those who negotiate sane and consensual sex and the latter where there are no safe words and anything goes.
Detective Ollie Robertson already enjoys a BDSM lifestyle in control clubs as a submissive. He is assigned an undercover investigation to find whether drugs, rape or potentially a slaving ring might be operating within the shade club Happy Whip. Being a shade sub is a potentially daunting and high risk strategy. Ollie's mission is further complicated by his personal concerns that he may be compromised and not have the backup and support of all his colleagues in vice.
Surreptitiously Detective Robertson agrees to launch a sting on vice Lieutenant Huda on whom he shares his boss's assessment that Huda might be a "phobic little shit" who "slimed his way" into the police department; and so begins a life or death game of double cross with no certainty of who the good guys might be.
The author says in her dedication that 'I put a lot of my pain into this story, and watching Ollie survive made me feel better.' Possibly if she was experiencing difficult times, the story may have suffered some. There are a few minor inconsistencies; and as Ollie becomes more deeply embroiled the elements of his primary investigation is overlooked.
There seemed to be an over emphasis on gender politics; and midway through there is (in my opinion) an unnecessary use of gender neutral terms . I found the writing style inconsistent, occasionally clumsy; then flowing with vibrancy and complexity.
What I loved about the story is the moral vicissitudes and the textures of ambiguity around trust, consensual play and themes of personal responsibility and consequence.
Unexpectedly in his torment Ollie discovers a potential love interest however the brutality that Ollie has endured is a catalyst for both men to navigate a moral quagmire of guilt and introspection that could impact their burgeoning relationship.
I loved the emotional complexity:
Now that he knew the truth, he couldn’t stop thinking about all the ways he could have signaled his unwillingness to have sex. It wasn’t like his hands had been restrained. And that led to thoughts that he was being unreasonably harsh on himself, which led to worries that he was psychologically less than healthy, which brought him back to anger...and the whole cycle began again.
And:
"People think love is some cute baby in diapers with a toy bow and arrows. Let me tell you, love is a badass fucker in leather, and he’s a hard-core sadist to boot. The man doesn’t fire arrows; he launches intercontinental missiles. Love is scary as hell, but man up and deal with it.”
I was intrigued by the depiction of Ollie's experiences, often grim and darkly abusive. He has strength, integrity, grit and fortitude. Ollie constantly assesses the situation, he gathers information and analyses his constantly changing circumstance.
At heart Ollie is a good guy with a strong moral compass, and he gradually finds allies who may not share all his views but they provide support when he needs it most. Without a Net provides glimpses of hope in a bleak and complex future world.
This is not for everyone, and there is an exploration of rape and consent which I think could have been mentioned within the blurb.
*********************************
Buddy Read with Emma Sea, Vivian, Maygirl & Samantha! :)
August 26, 2015
3.5ish rounded down.
Will review later. I hope. LOL.
Will review later. I hope. LOL.
Want to read
June 12, 2016More than € 7,- on Kobo. Which is twice as much as, for example, A Fashionable Indulgence. Perhaps I'll wait for a bunch of reviews first..
September 4, 2015
4.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
This was recommended to me by a friend who knows how much I love the dark, edgy reads. I was not disappointed.
Ollie is in a bit of a predicament. He’s in a job where he feels he is being targeted by his superiors and generally not getting the backup he needs. When another superior learns about this, he convinces Ollie to go undercover in the darker BDSM club scene, known as shade clubs, in a sort of dual sting operation. One, to catch the men responsible for the recently disappearing people; and two, to try and draw the crooked cops out in hopes of incriminating them.
So, this is a story that takes place a few decades in the future where shade clubs are basically BDSM clubs on crack. There are no safe words, pretty much anything goes, and it’s often quite brutal. Up to this point, Ollie has been sticking to the regular clubs, but feels he can handle the shade clubs for the sake of the job. Things quickly appear to get out of hand for Ollie, but he sticks it out. Unfortunately, things get dark pretty fast for Ollie when things take a darker turn upon his return. He is kidnapped and forced to be “trained” to sub. Throughout this training, Ollie struggles to keep sane, to keep things clear about why he is doing things, all the while realizing it could be Stockholm Syndrome.
Now, Travis is the husband of Ollie’s neighbor. When he shows up at the bad guy’s compound, we aren’t really sure whose side he is on. Is he good or bad, a shade dom or not? He plays an important role in seeing the assignment through by playing the part of Ollie’s dom/owner. There is more to Travis, but I don’t want to give too much away.
The main issue these guys have is the mental aspect of their respective roles as men, dom/sub, etc. Travis is not convinced Ollie has done things of his own accord, also afraid that Stockholm Syndrome has played a part, he feels guilty over the part he had to play and so he backs off.
Ollie now finds he needs more than the control clubs can provide, but he is only able to further with someone he trusts. He is unable to return to his previous job due to trust issues, and it takes a while for these two to get on the same page once the job has ended. But, through the help of friends (some really interesting side characters, btw), they make it happen.
This is a heck of a rollercoaster ride. Up, down, this way and that. You never know who is on what side, who is undercover, who will survive the reconditioning, etc. It is fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a winner for me, and I highly recommend it for those who like things a bit darker and edgier.
This was recommended to me by a friend who knows how much I love the dark, edgy reads. I was not disappointed.
Ollie is in a bit of a predicament. He’s in a job where he feels he is being targeted by his superiors and generally not getting the backup he needs. When another superior learns about this, he convinces Ollie to go undercover in the darker BDSM club scene, known as shade clubs, in a sort of dual sting operation. One, to catch the men responsible for the recently disappearing people; and two, to try and draw the crooked cops out in hopes of incriminating them.
So, this is a story that takes place a few decades in the future where shade clubs are basically BDSM clubs on crack. There are no safe words, pretty much anything goes, and it’s often quite brutal. Up to this point, Ollie has been sticking to the regular clubs, but feels he can handle the shade clubs for the sake of the job. Things quickly appear to get out of hand for Ollie, but he sticks it out. Unfortunately, things get dark pretty fast for Ollie when things take a darker turn upon his return. He is kidnapped and forced to be “trained” to sub. Throughout this training, Ollie struggles to keep sane, to keep things clear about why he is doing things, all the while realizing it could be Stockholm Syndrome.
Now, Travis is the husband of Ollie’s neighbor. When he shows up at the bad guy’s compound, we aren’t really sure whose side he is on. Is he good or bad, a shade dom or not? He plays an important role in seeing the assignment through by playing the part of Ollie’s dom/owner. There is more to Travis, but I don’t want to give too much away.
The main issue these guys have is the mental aspect of their respective roles as men, dom/sub, etc. Travis is not convinced Ollie has done things of his own accord, also afraid that Stockholm Syndrome has played a part, he feels guilty over the part he had to play and so he backs off.
Ollie now finds he needs more than the control clubs can provide, but he is only able to further with someone he trusts. He is unable to return to his previous job due to trust issues, and it takes a while for these two to get on the same page once the job has ended. But, through the help of friends (some really interesting side characters, btw), they make it happen.
This is a heck of a rollercoaster ride. Up, down, this way and that. You never know who is on what side, who is undercover, who will survive the reconditioning, etc. It is fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a winner for me, and I highly recommend it for those who like things a bit darker and edgier.
October 25, 2016
Overall book rating: 4.25
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
The closest thing in MM genre I’ve ever got to Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters. So this made me do a happy dance.
I know I know, it’s really not the same thing at all (for those who did read Monsters in the Dark series) but I’ve been looking for anything remotely touching the feel or theme of that series and this was it for me. If there is something closer to it out there you know of PLEASE let me know!
So I’m sort of on a Lyn Gala high at the moment and I decided to give this a try. I wasn’t disappointed. I really had a roller coaster ride with this story. It went places I though could be a possibility at times but I never really could predict it and that’s what made it so thrilling.
The one thing that I felt in my personal opinion took away from the story instead of building it up, was
I sometimes think authors are SCARED TO GO THERE? You know? They are scared to make the MC dark, and then they TRY TO HARD to make us like them. I would have loved Travis even if he only apologized once about what happened. Hell I would have loved him even if he didn’t. It wasn’t as if he knew what was happening he had no hand in it until he found out.
So make him Dominant! Make him an unapologetic asshole with his own set of morals.
Make him a guy with a shade of darker than normal, but don’ make a Dom a “sorry for breathing” character in your quest to not step on someone’s toes.
Heaven knows that’s what I LOVED about Q Mercer. He didn’t make excuses for the way his brain worked even when he loved Tess.
This had so much potential. And I still enjoyed it a hell of a lot! But I wanted something else for Travis.
Loved how Oliver dealt with the whole scenario. I think he qualifies has a power sub. Yes. I don’t really know if I would have handled everything as well has he done in the end. I might have had a little mental breakdown at some point. But he was just a strong character even with all his mind went through. I’m a fan. I like Lyn Gala.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4
The closest thing in MM genre I’ve ever got to Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters. So this made me do a happy dance.
I know I know, it’s really not the same thing at all (for those who did read Monsters in the Dark series) but I’ve been looking for anything remotely touching the feel or theme of that series and this was it for me. If there is something closer to it out there you know of PLEASE let me know!
So I’m sort of on a Lyn Gala high at the moment and I decided to give this a try. I wasn’t disappointed. I really had a roller coaster ride with this story. It went places I though could be a possibility at times but I never really could predict it and that’s what made it so thrilling.
The one thing that I felt in my personal opinion took away from the story instead of building it up, was
I sometimes think authors are SCARED TO GO THERE? You know? They are scared to make the MC dark, and then they TRY TO HARD to make us like them. I would have loved Travis even if he only apologized once about what happened. Hell I would have loved him even if he didn’t. It wasn’t as if he knew what was happening he had no hand in it until he found out.
So make him Dominant! Make him an unapologetic asshole with his own set of morals.
Make him a guy with a shade of darker than normal, but don’ make a Dom a “sorry for breathing” character in your quest to not step on someone’s toes.
Heaven knows that’s what I LOVED about Q Mercer. He didn’t make excuses for the way his brain worked even when he loved Tess.
This had so much potential. And I still enjoyed it a hell of a lot! But I wanted something else for Travis.
Loved how Oliver dealt with the whole scenario. I think he qualifies has a power sub. Yes. I don’t really know if I would have handled everything as well has he done in the end. I might have had a little mental breakdown at some point. But he was just a strong character even with all his mind went through. I’m a fan. I like Lyn Gala.
January 1, 2016
Hells yeah! Finished the book with 20 minutes to spare!
Loved Ollie's kinks and his ability to speak his mind and stand up for himself.
Didn't love the disconnect in the story once the sting went down. I'm going to attribute that to the author being uncomfortable writing action. Maybe? *shrugs*
Kinda wondering why Milan's motivations still feel flimsy and out of left field.
Review to come.
Loved Ollie's kinks and his ability to speak his mind and stand up for himself.
Didn't love the disconnect in the story once the sting went down. I'm going to attribute that to the author being uncomfortable writing action. Maybe? *shrugs*
Kinda wondering why Milan's motivations still feel flimsy and out of left field.
Review to come.
August 30, 2015
I'm torn on this ones rating. I disliked quite a bit and was confused in the beginning even in the middle, then it got way better. I totally didn't connect to Ollie at all I did like Travis but something in this story just didn't sit right for me.
March 9, 2016
Jeezus! I L-O-V-E-D this book. Give me a story where the sub is a healthy, whole, sane, no holds barred, balls to the wall, kickass character and I'll effin' swoon with joy, lust, and gratitude every time! So damn enjoyable!
September 1, 2015
This is not a romance. My bad. I should have read the book summary more closely. Very well written, just not my kind of story :(
August 31, 2015
This wasn't at all what I expected, so I guess that's on me. The BDSM scenes didn't push the envelope as much as I thought they would, and I didn't find the scenes to be hot. I didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the MCs, and I thought the whole investigation part of the story sort of overshadowed the romance/relationship building aspect of the story, and I found it all to be a bit cheesy. I typically have trouble with romance and investigation/mystery type of stories, so again, it's probably just me, and I should probably give up on these kinds of books.
January 23, 2016
This started strong then fizzled out.
That is pretty much my review in a nutshell. I had started this with high expectations and the first few dozen pages seemed to deliver a gritty BDSM scene. I was cringing with every new discovery Oliver made in that shade clubs. I was mentally preparing myself to discover new sides to the BDSM lifestyle but determined to bear through it to the end.
But after a couple of (admittedly strong) scenes, the pacing changes and things are way lighter and easier for our hero.
I did admire the convoluted spin of the plot.
That is pretty much my review in a nutshell. I had started this with high expectations and the first few dozen pages seemed to deliver a gritty BDSM scene. I was cringing with every new discovery Oliver made in that shade clubs. I was mentally preparing myself to discover new sides to the BDSM lifestyle but determined to bear through it to the end.
But after a couple of (admittedly strong) scenes, the pacing changes and things are way lighter and easier for our hero.
I did admire the convoluted spin of the plot.
August 30, 2015
This was fabulous. It was dark and edgy, a real mind blower. I loved Ollie and Travis and even Milan. This is more than just a BDSM story, it's a hard hitting detective novel with more twists than a ballon blowing in the wind. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down.
February 2, 2017
I wanted to read this book to see what all of the hoopla was about when it was released. I was very disappointed. The book was all over the place in a bad way, almost spastic. It was as though the author couldn't make up her mind about what she wanted to focus on. The AU world building was so sparse and underwhelming it was irritating.
The main story line was police corruption and an undercover detective who got caught up in the power play. Ollie was a strong character who went through a self discovery process during his ordeal. He went undercover in a "shade" BDSM club, a club with no formal limits, but ended up getting kidnapped and forced into a non con slave situation. Ollie was very smart, robust, and stayed cognizant through his physical and psychological torture.
Travis, an FBI detective, rescued Ollie and became his love interest. Unfortunately, Travis came across wishy-washy and did not walk his talk as an edgy “shade” BDSM dom. Their relationship development was skipped over. The romance was lacking. Their BDSM scenes were dull, even by vanilla BDSM standards. The sting operation wrap up was anticlimactic. The ending was rushed.
I really wanted the kidnapper Milan to get his comeuppance. Also, I was disappointed that the "shade" BDSM was hyped up in the book but not fully developed. The "shade" clubs actually had practices that controlled behaviors. Consent was given when a sub walked through the door. Ollie was given multiple opportunities to leave. Bad Doms were managed by bouncers and house subs. The story never went past the bar or public areas into the scene areas to see how individuals played. For example, I wanted to see how knife play was done in this type of club. And I was really let down that when Travis scened with Ollie, he never pushed Ollie into a "shade" situation. Also, Ollie's sub threshold had been raised not by a shade dom pushing his limits, but by a slave trainer kidnapping him.
The main story line was police corruption and an undercover detective who got caught up in the power play. Ollie was a strong character who went through a self discovery process during his ordeal. He went undercover in a "shade" BDSM club, a club with no formal limits, but ended up getting kidnapped and forced into a non con slave situation. Ollie was very smart, robust, and stayed cognizant through his physical and psychological torture.
Travis, an FBI detective, rescued Ollie and became his love interest. Unfortunately, Travis came across wishy-washy and did not walk his talk as an edgy “shade” BDSM dom. Their relationship development was skipped over. The romance was lacking. Their BDSM scenes were dull, even by vanilla BDSM standards. The sting operation wrap up was anticlimactic. The ending was rushed.
I really wanted the kidnapper Milan to get his comeuppance. Also, I was disappointed that the "shade" BDSM was hyped up in the book but not fully developed. The "shade" clubs actually had practices that controlled behaviors. Consent was given when a sub walked through the door. Ollie was given multiple opportunities to leave. Bad Doms were managed by bouncers and house subs. The story never went past the bar or public areas into the scene areas to see how individuals played. For example, I wanted to see how knife play was done in this type of club. And I was really let down that when Travis scened with Ollie, he never pushed Ollie into a "shade" situation. Also, Ollie's sub threshold had been raised not by a shade dom pushing his limits, but by a slave trainer kidnapping him.
September 30, 2022
Without a Net was absolutely amazing! Ollie finds himself in a tough spot. Lusting after an older married neighbor, discriminating shits for peers at work, and a bogus undercover op set up by his boss. I just gets worse when he gets caught up in the op and kidnapped.
I got my mind blown a few times with the turn of events and some of the stuff Ollie went through. And I actually asked myself "what the fuck did I just read?!?" a dozen times. Ollie found he was more shade than he had originally thought and when his not so married neighbor ends up being an ally, they find that their interests are very in sync.
Ollie and Travis were definitely meant for each other. They share the same kink and they trust each other (even in the midst of what Ollie was dealing with). That's huge for a shade sub.
I loved HEA, especially with all the shit Ollie went through in this book. He deserved his happy ending and Travis was the perfect person to provide that.
I got my mind blown a few times with the turn of events and some of the stuff Ollie went through. And I actually asked myself "what the fuck did I just read?!?" a dozen times. Ollie found he was more shade than he had originally thought and when his not so married neighbor ends up being an ally, they find that their interests are very in sync.
Ollie and Travis were definitely meant for each other. They share the same kink and they trust each other (even in the midst of what Ollie was dealing with). That's huge for a shade sub.
I loved HEA, especially with all the shit Ollie went through in this book. He deserved his happy ending and Travis was the perfect person to provide that.
November 17, 2016
3.5 stars
April 5, 2016
I guess whether you enjoy this work depends on several things.
Are you looking for a strong plot with strong characters and rich world-building?
If yes, stay away from this work. The world-building is clumsy in that I never really understood how far into the future they were supposed to be, and the entire mystery/suspense plot about what's going on in the police department was fairly flimsy, IMO. I'm still not convinced that Ollie's emphasizing cis vs not-cis is natural to a character who is, I guess, cis. The pronoun issue mentioned in another review does get very awkward, and considering that it's dropped a few paragraphs later, I suspect the author or an editor knew it too.
On the other hand, I mostly bought this because of the author and the "bdsm" label, and I don't regret my purchase. I got lots of dub and non-con sex scenes with slave training and other kinky things. That's what I was looking for, and that's what I got.
I wish instead of the weird set-up of "going undercover at a sex club" (which has been done before, a lot), Lyn Gala had just written about somebody who actually wanted to be part of this weird kinky sex world.
But, y'know, I'll keep this one on my phone and reread it when the mood strikes.
Are you looking for a strong plot with strong characters and rich world-building?
If yes, stay away from this work. The world-building is clumsy in that I never really understood how far into the future they were supposed to be, and the entire mystery/suspense plot about what's going on in the police department was fairly flimsy, IMO. I'm still not convinced that Ollie's emphasizing cis vs not-cis is natural to a character who is, I guess, cis. The pronoun issue mentioned in another review does get very awkward, and considering that it's dropped a few paragraphs later, I suspect the author or an editor knew it too.
On the other hand, I mostly bought this because of the author and the "bdsm" label, and I don't regret my purchase. I got lots of dub and non-con sex scenes with slave training and other kinky things. That's what I was looking for, and that's what I got.
I wish instead of the weird set-up of "going undercover at a sex club" (which has been done before, a lot), Lyn Gala had just written about somebody who actually wanted to be part of this weird kinky sex world.
But, y'know, I'll keep this one on my phone and reread it when the mood strikes.
March 29, 2017
I liked it
This was an AU or futuristic story. I lean towards futuristic because of details in the story. When the Captain was using the surface of his desk, I knew it wasn't contemporary. Then when they talked about people's gender and sexuality, it was clear that it was a in a time when self determination of gender was the norm. It also referred to BDSM as a regular activity for many. This wasn't as edgy as I thought it would be. There was a little shown with other characters, but not much at all with Travis or Ollie. Milan put Ollie through a lot but it wasn't shown.
I did feel disconnected about any relationship development between Ollie and Travis. It was only their interactions about the undercover operation. There really was nothing much shown about their interactions while still at Milan's. There was no intimacy shown until after they got back together. At that point I liked their dynamic but never saw how they came to love each other. The action was good though. I was really hoping to see more of Milan after the whole case closed. I think he was the most interesting character in the whole story. I enjoyed it overall, just didn't get the feels for Ollie and Travis as a couple.
This was an AU or futuristic story. I lean towards futuristic because of details in the story. When the Captain was using the surface of his desk, I knew it wasn't contemporary. Then when they talked about people's gender and sexuality, it was clear that it was a in a time when self determination of gender was the norm. It also referred to BDSM as a regular activity for many. This wasn't as edgy as I thought it would be. There was a little shown with other characters, but not much at all with Travis or Ollie. Milan put Ollie through a lot but it wasn't shown.
I did feel disconnected about any relationship development between Ollie and Travis. It was only their interactions about the undercover operation. There really was nothing much shown about their interactions while still at Milan's. There was no intimacy shown until after they got back together. At that point I liked their dynamic but never saw how they came to love each other. The action was good though. I was really hoping to see more of Milan after the whole case closed. I think he was the most interesting character in the whole story. I enjoyed it overall, just didn't get the feels for Ollie and Travis as a couple.
September 8, 2015
Rounded up to 3 stars. I really wanted to love this one ; unfortunately I didn't :( While it's obvious this is a talented author as her writing flows and it is an interesting story with somewhat of a futuristic look at BDSm with the Shade Clubs as they have an "anything goes" concept- I just couldn't connect to the characters or the storyline. It looked to be going the way of "The Flesh Cartel" ( now that is a dark and depraved series that I loved but was difficult to read) but didn't nearly get there. I was a little lost for the first 40-50% of the book as there wasn't enough background given to have me wanting more. Once I got it; it lost its edginess and I started to lose interest. Ollie and Travis, the MCs, were fine but I didn't get blown away by their interactions. I think I went into this with too high of expectations...
September 18, 2015
I enjoyed this book. I usually don't like books that take place in the future or the past but this one was not so off the wall when talking of the future. I really was hoping that the book continued with the "harder" type BDSM play but in the middle there was a change. The story warranted the change but I just wanted things to keep me squirming like the punishment scene. Overall, a solid three stars. I liked all the characters and the story.
August 30, 2015
Fascinating romance
This is a fascinating romance. I found myself captivated from page one and eagerly devoured this story. Well-written with a wonderful blend of BDSM, drama, action and romance! I am now a huge fan of this amazing author.
This is a fascinating romance. I found myself captivated from page one and eagerly devoured this story. Well-written with a wonderful blend of BDSM, drama, action and romance! I am now a huge fan of this amazing author.
August 30, 2015
I liked this, but did not love.
I felt detached from Ollie, and he was the character I felt closest too.
And the BDSM felt flat.
I felt detached from Ollie, and he was the character I felt closest too.
And the BDSM felt flat.
November 23, 2015
my heart was beating so hard at the end of chapter 7 I had to set it aside for a bit. Of course, I couldn't stop thinking about it during that time, had to get back to it to see how it turned out.
September 25, 2015
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
If you are looking for something dark that will mess up your mind then this may be just the book for you.
In this futuristic story BDSM is part of the norm but there are different levels of Dominance and Submission. For those just looking to play you can go to one of the control clubs. For those looking for something with more risk, something darker you can to a Shade club and give up everything including your safe word.
Ollie is a cop who believes in the letter of the law which is why he is feeling uncomfortable at work when he believes someone higher up is dirty. He makes a complaint in a report he writes up, still unsure whether it is paranoia or if he is being targeted for being gay, but he no longer feels safe when requiring back up.
It all seems a little too easy when his boss offers him a dangerous undercover assignment to flush out the ‘dirty cops’ at the station. His new job will be as a server at a Shade club and after a quite a bit of humiliation he has his cover in place and prepares to get to work. The job doesn’t last too long when he meets Milan and is kidnapped right from under the noses of two teams that are supposed to be protecting him.
This is where your head will get messed up! Who is Milan? He intrigued me from the start and even though he looks to be a bad guy I found myself strangely attracted to him and his deviousness. He is strict, in fact that is putting it mildly, he whisks Ollie away and puts him through hell but still there is something about him that can’t make me hate him.
Ollie’s life can’t get any worse or so he thought! Then in walks Travis, his sexy neighbour who he has a crush on and your mind has to bend again to follow the story. Travis is a very dominant man, a Shade Dom, and a living wet dream as far as Ollie is concerned but Ollie is having trouble even thinking what that might mean about his own kinks and what it might mean for his future. Ollie isn’t a Shade sub is he?
If you want a story that twists and turns constantly then Without a Net is surely that. If you want a story that you cannot be sure of who is who and whether they are good and bad then Without a Net is surely that. Prepare for some mindfuckery!!
If you are looking for something dark that will mess up your mind then this may be just the book for you.
In this futuristic story BDSM is part of the norm but there are different levels of Dominance and Submission. For those just looking to play you can go to one of the control clubs. For those looking for something with more risk, something darker you can to a Shade club and give up everything including your safe word.
Ollie is a cop who believes in the letter of the law which is why he is feeling uncomfortable at work when he believes someone higher up is dirty. He makes a complaint in a report he writes up, still unsure whether it is paranoia or if he is being targeted for being gay, but he no longer feels safe when requiring back up.
It all seems a little too easy when his boss offers him a dangerous undercover assignment to flush out the ‘dirty cops’ at the station. His new job will be as a server at a Shade club and after a quite a bit of humiliation he has his cover in place and prepares to get to work. The job doesn’t last too long when he meets Milan and is kidnapped right from under the noses of two teams that are supposed to be protecting him.
This is where your head will get messed up! Who is Milan? He intrigued me from the start and even though he looks to be a bad guy I found myself strangely attracted to him and his deviousness. He is strict, in fact that is putting it mildly, he whisks Ollie away and puts him through hell but still there is something about him that can’t make me hate him.
Ollie’s life can’t get any worse or so he thought! Then in walks Travis, his sexy neighbour who he has a crush on and your mind has to bend again to follow the story. Travis is a very dominant man, a Shade Dom, and a living wet dream as far as Ollie is concerned but Ollie is having trouble even thinking what that might mean about his own kinks and what it might mean for his future. Ollie isn’t a Shade sub is he?
If you want a story that twists and turns constantly then Without a Net is surely that. If you want a story that you cannot be sure of who is who and whether they are good and bad then Without a Net is surely that. Prepare for some mindfuckery!!
March 10, 2016
My Review:
Wow, this is one powerful, dark, and surprisingly touching erotic story. Note...this story takes place sometime in the future in a world that 's almost identical to ours...so I would guess it's only 30-40 years in the future. It's just enough so that the author could take some artistic license with sexual norms, but still current enough that the story does NOT feel like science fiction.
Ollie is a gay cop working in a somewhat intolerant work environment. It's not blatant, but there are certain people he works with that he just doesn't trust to have his back. His Captain agrees that something is afoot. At the same time, they are investigating a local shade bdsm club. (From what I understand shade play is extreme play without safe words...something that is dangerous when everyone is trustworthy...not always the case at these places.) Ollie is a natural sub and he infiltrates the club undercover in a dual sting operation planned to take down the club and his fellow crooked officers. And things spiral from there.
I adored Ollie. He's so aware of the psychological issues at play in these shade clubs, but that doesn't make him immune. It just makes it so that he knows he'll need therapy if he manages to make it out alive. He's so strong...definitely an alpha sub who can stand up under an awful lot of pressure. He kept his head and that was amazing. He always managed to maintain a good overall view of what was happening even when he should have been lashing out about what happened to him. That's what makes him such a good cop.
There are tons of twists and turns throughout the story and I love where the relationship came out. Again, I love how alpha Ollie is. He doesn't just sit back and accept the knocks, even though he's a sub. He fights back for what he wants and what he wants is the one guy who can't face him because of all that he let happen. Seriously, so good...so angst-filled...and yeah, most definitely some very dark scenes. This is dark bdsm so be prepared for that going in. The story didn't go as far to the extreme as it could have, but it definitely could have some triggers for some people, so proceed with caution.
Wow, this is one powerful, dark, and surprisingly touching erotic story. Note...this story takes place sometime in the future in a world that 's almost identical to ours...so I would guess it's only 30-40 years in the future. It's just enough so that the author could take some artistic license with sexual norms, but still current enough that the story does NOT feel like science fiction.
Ollie is a gay cop working in a somewhat intolerant work environment. It's not blatant, but there are certain people he works with that he just doesn't trust to have his back. His Captain agrees that something is afoot. At the same time, they are investigating a local shade bdsm club. (From what I understand shade play is extreme play without safe words...something that is dangerous when everyone is trustworthy...not always the case at these places.) Ollie is a natural sub and he infiltrates the club undercover in a dual sting operation planned to take down the club and his fellow crooked officers. And things spiral from there.
I adored Ollie. He's so aware of the psychological issues at play in these shade clubs, but that doesn't make him immune. It just makes it so that he knows he'll need therapy if he manages to make it out alive. He's so strong...definitely an alpha sub who can stand up under an awful lot of pressure. He kept his head and that was amazing. He always managed to maintain a good overall view of what was happening even when he should have been lashing out about what happened to him. That's what makes him such a good cop.
There are tons of twists and turns throughout the story and I love where the relationship came out. Again, I love how alpha Ollie is. He doesn't just sit back and accept the knocks, even though he's a sub. He fights back for what he wants and what he wants is the one guy who can't face him because of all that he let happen. Seriously, so good...so angst-filled...and yeah, most definitely some very dark scenes. This is dark bdsm so be prepared for that going in. The story didn't go as far to the extreme as it could have, but it definitely could have some triggers for some people, so proceed with caution.
October 3, 2015
**I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.**
I debated a long time how to rate this one. I am a fan of dark reads and have no problem with that kind of content, the rape, kidnapping etc, my issue was more with the flow and the connection to the characters of the story. The first chapter felt more like a lesson in sexual choice/gender with all of the gender terminology. I assumed at one point a gender fluid or even transgender character but there was not.
I didn't feel a connection with Ollie, Travis was more interesting to me. The BDSM aspect felt off. I really wanted to like this one, but the premise and the idea were good but the execution was off for me.
I debated a long time how to rate this one. I am a fan of dark reads and have no problem with that kind of content, the rape, kidnapping etc, my issue was more with the flow and the connection to the characters of the story. The first chapter felt more like a lesson in sexual choice/gender with all of the gender terminology. I assumed at one point a gender fluid or even transgender character but there was not.
I didn't feel a connection with Ollie, Travis was more interesting to me. The BDSM aspect felt off. I really wanted to like this one, but the premise and the idea were good but the execution was off for me.
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