delayed gratificationRating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Short Story


Daniel is a man of complete self-control. He has a routine that never wavers, and his discipline is absolute. So when Daniel comes into the office and finds a donut on his desk, he’s shocked. Not only is it a break in his routine,  but it’s not something he will indulge in. When the donuts keep appearing, Daniel finds out they are a gift from Ryan. A conversation leads them both to believe that they want the same thing: for Daniel to submit and Ryan to take control. A dinner, a negotiation, and a scene might just be the start to something amazing.

Okay, I’m going to start this review by saying that even though I knew it was a short story, and that it was billed as book one, I didn’t realize it was essentially going to be a serial story. This is the very beginning of Daniel and Ryan’s story, and I mean the very beginning. There’s no resolution, just the very first instance of their tentative steps into a possible relationship. Now while this isn’t exactly a problem, I would have appreciated knowing I was going into a serial story when I picked this one up.

That being said, the chemistry between the characters was the off the charts. Despite a little bit of a stiff feeling when the story opened, Daniel quickly shows exactly who he is and what he wants. When Ryan enters the picture, the two men begin to spark. And then when they finally get to the point of conversation, dinner, and more, they are absolutely electric. They are made for each other and their potential is huge and there is no doubt that going forward, they are going to be something amazing (though not without conflict). The author has laid the perfect foundation for us to see what is could possibly happen next.

I would have liked a little bit more information about the MCs, as it felt sparse in that area. This could be remedied as the story goes on, so I hesitate judge it too harshly in that area. However, it was definitely lacking a bit at the beginning of the story, and I felt a little bit more information could have made a bigger impact. As it stands right now, I don’t know much about what brought these guys to this point in their lives. While Daniel’s personality is pretty clearly shown, what is behind it is missing. And we don’t yet know much about Ryan at all.

So while I had a few issues with this short, it certainly has the potential to go places. The heat and chemistry between the MCs is incredibly promising, and I’m looking forward to the next installment so I can see how this story progresses. I’m hoping I’ll get to see more of Daniel and Ryan’s lives, to understand them better, and watch as they build what clearly could be amazing.

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