I love K.C. Wells’ and Parker Williams’ series Collars and Cuffs and, as I’ve said before, they ended it at the perfect time. They also left open the possibility for a new series and Secrets is that series. The first book, Before You Break, was amazing, and my expectations were high for this book. So for the book to start with a character I’ve loathed for years was a challenge. For those who read the Collars and Cuffs series, the first book is about submissive Alex and Dominant Leo. I fell hard for these two men – Leo for his wounded soul and Alex for his desire to be true to himself. Alex’s brother Rob threw plenty of monkey wrenches into their relationship, but love won out. By the end of the book, I hated Rob – and I don’t use the word hate lightly.
When I realized he was one of the central characters in this book, I had my doubts. I adore the world K.C. and Parker have created and I knew their choice to bring Rob back wasn’t likely not taken lightly, but I still wasn’t sure. Well, as expected, they made the book work brilliantly. Rob is a conflicted and hurting young man. He carries around anger and guilt, using them as a shield to keep anyone from getting too close. He lives on the edge of poverty, eeking out an existence while trying to distance himself from his family. He wages a battle within himself, trying to reconcile his previous actions with the man he believes himself to be. He doesn’t love himself, so why would anyone love him?
Enter Vic. He was a member of Secrets in its old incarnation and likes the changes Eli and Jared have made to the gay BDSM club. He’s enjoyed playing with submissives for a number of years, selecting young men whom he can make soar – giving them a great scene and then going home alone. His work is truly fulfilling and he has friends to round out his life. His scenes to that point have nice, but he’s not had a serious relationship. I’m not sure he realizes just how much he’s missing until he encounters the impudent and rude Rob.
The meeting between the two men is auspicious at best, but Vic isn’t willing to give up so quickly. He sees Rob in a way no one else does and it opened my eyes to Rob as well. How often do we hide our true selves rather than be vulnerable? Rob is a tough nut to crack, but Vic is patient, willing to wait until Rob comes to him.
I don’t want to give away the scene that leads up to the unlocking of a mind, but it was incredibly powerful. I have always understood the power of BDSM but the transformational possibilities aren’t always addressed. Yes, you can have a good scene – floggers, whips, paddles, and ropes can be amazing to watch. Sometimes, though, it’s in the personal moments – away from everyone else – when the true magic happens.
I also wondered if Rob would ever get an opportunity to resolve his issues with his brother Alex and possibly the rest of their family. Clearing out secrets can be challenging and I wondered if Rob was up for the task. Alex and Leo play a major role in the reopening of the club and, as in the last book, the owners – Jared and Eli – are important in this book. I love that there are so many secondary characters and the revisiting of Ellis and Wayne from book 1 also tickled me.
There is a lot of humour in this book, much of it due to Margaret, the elderly mother of Jared, one of the owners of Secrets. I was stuck in traffic listening to this passage and…well, let’s just say I laughed uproariously.
Jared: Mother, you’ve got bags and bags of wool. How much do you really need?
Margaret: And you’ve got a chest full of sex toys. Does that stop Eli from buying more?
Maxwell: What’s the betting Maggie can find a pattern to knit a cock? Or maybe a sweater with a design made of dildos?
Poor Jared, being overruled and overrun by his mother and her driver/companion. And this exchange brings me to the narrator, Joel Leslie. His Margaret is always perfect and I have a vivid image of the older woman in my mind. She’s a traditionalist who loves her tea and also a woman who loves her son, especially when she gets to tease him. Joel also provides a wonderful interpretation for Jared whose exasperation is always tinged with love.
Narrating can be a challenge, especially long books in series. That being said, Joel does a brilliant job with carrying the previous characters while mixing in the new ones. As always, his performance is solid. I adored the entire book and am hoping the third book in the series will be out in audio shortly.