Ellie Ellie's Reviews > Daddy Issues

CW for emotionally abusive father

It's lovely to see how far Jack and Channon have come since season 1, both as individuals and as a couple. I never thought I would still be into them 400k words later, but here I am. Usually, I'm not a fan of series that follow the same couple; I even sometimes skip epilogues for books I liked, just because I get bored once everyone is in love and happy. But Channon and Jack's complex and engaging dynamic continues to evolve with each installment, in a way that is both fun and thought-provoking. I have had so many interesting discussions with other readers about those books that I originally thought were supposed to be "only" kink exploration erotica.

The last few episodes dealt a lot with Jack's toxic view of masculinity and how both of them deal with non-monogamy in their relationship. This one steers a little bit away from this, and focuses on Channon's relationship with his father. I'm glad this got addressed since he's been a loose thread for a while. And even though not everything gets neatly solved in this, I think most readers will like how Channon dealt with this. He's gaining more and more insight into his self-worth issues and where they came from, and when he takes action, it comes from his own initiative.

In parallel to this storyline, we see Channon navigating his desires to let Jack knows what he wants without redefining the entire basis of their relationship. I like how secure Channon feels in his relationship with Jack. He's not ashamed anymore of choosing to let Jack take charge of a lot of things, but he's learning how to ask for specific things he wants in a way that makes sense to him and Jack. And they're both learning that if some of their dynamics change, it might be a good thing, and they'll figure it out together.

That sex scene in the hotel room was great and a little sappy, but boy if it didn't almost make me tear up!

And that bonus scene at the end? It was so sweet and great, I honestly wonder why it's a bonus scene. I really hope it's in the final file! I could argue it's necessary to show their evolving dynamics and, really, it's just great to see them trying something new where even Jack is not 100% poised and in control. Please?

I received a free copy of this book and am providing my honest review voluntarily.


Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/