3.5 rounded up

Novellas are sometimes less than easy to review, which is where I find myself with this one. In the "short story" mindset it's difficult to know what world/character building details to expect from the author or what's asking too much. While this was an enjoyable read, there were some areas where it lacked detail. I'll lay it out honestly.


What was done well in Tricks and Bids:

- Mike's realistic cautiousness. Even before he knew the kinky things Dillon wanted from him, he was believably anxious about going to this stranger's house. As a woman, I related hard, but often in romance, and especially M/M romance, there's a careless sense of self assuredness between characters, even when they've only just met. Many times, worries don't even occur to them, and that's never made sense to me. I liked seeing this reaction I could more readily relate to here!

- The smut. I'm gonna go right for the heart of it and say Wow! This novella plunges right in, isn't shy of kink, and is hot!

- The BDSM etiquette. Yes, this deserves its own slot because I haven't read such well-written BDSM etiquette outside of fanfiction. More stories with this kind of etiquette need to exist!! Mutual respect! Careful negotiation! Deep trust! Yes, yes, yes!!

- Dillon's POSSESSIVENESS. (Yes, it's meant to be in caps) Also, yes, this deserves its own slot as well because I'm me and nothing gets my blood burning faster than a character possessive of his man, okay!? Dillon is deliciously, FIERCELY protective and possessive, and I'm gonna say it right here right now that this was my absolute FAVORITE thing in this story *drools*.
I could go on about this for a while, but I'm going to stop here before I start rambling and my kink shows.

- Dillon's character development. He's instantly a powerful figure, 100% (1000%) Dom, but when he opens up to Mike about his history with Clover, how their relationship developed, how he felt about him, and what happened to him, I understood him so much more and FELT for him deeply.

- Speaking of Clover... This character's story was so good! It was well told, emotional, and very compelling. I loved how he got his nickname too!

- The epilogue. Without giving away spoilers - it left me glowing.


What could have been done a better in Tricks and Bids:

- Sense narrative. This novella was very touch heavy. It dealt with emotions and physical sensations, but it didn't delve too far into any of the other 4 senses. Aside from Dillon being big and "brown skinned" I had no idea what he looked like. Is he muscular? What is the color of his eyes? Does he wear suits? T-shirts?? I have no idea. Mike was described once as being a fit boy in his midtwenties with brown hair long enough to grip, but we don't get any reiterations of these descriptions, so it's difficult to picture the characters. The only other side character who features is Jesse, and for all I know, he's a disembodied voice (I'm exaggerating a little, but near enough).
Surroundings aren't described much either. The living room is, once, but oddly, the dungeon is not.
I don't recall any scents being mentioned.

- The amount of time spent between Dillon and Mike. I realize Dillon couldn't have maintained Mike's rate for long, but I feel there should have been more than two actual nights together between them before the final chapters, even if they were mentioned briefly as in, "he's seen Mike twice more since then, and . . .".

- Their lives outside this relationship. This is getting into territory where I'm not sure I'm not asking too much from a novella; however, I really would have liked to see just a little of who they are and what they do outside of their time together. How does Mike spend his day when he leaves Dillon the next morning? Does he miss him? Think about him? Does his ankle feel weird that night sleeping without the cuff? Does he have family who care about him?
What about Dillon? How much does he think about Mike? Was he ever tempted to text him once he got his number? Without a sub does he cook himself or get all takeout?
Even a little extra information to see who these people are outside Dillon's house would have added an extra layer of depth.


Conclusion:

Tricks and Bids is a tasty, easy, kinky, and enjoyable novella you can read in a day or even a sitting if you've got a bit of time. It has an intense dom/sub relationship that's very respectful to BDSM and those who enjoy it.
While a few improvements could have been made, I enjoyed it a lot, and I will be following this author for more of her books!

I recommend Tricks and Bids to anyone not shy of BDSM looking for something quick, light, and kinky.

**I received this book courtesy of NetGalley/NineStar Press in exchange for an honest review which did not affect my opinion

the romance in tricks and bids begins as a transaction. michael propositions dillon by offering to be his submissive for the night. dillon shouldn't say yes. but there's something about michael that tempts him in a way he hasn't been tempted in a long time.

his former lover was killed in an accident, and since then he hadn't connected with anyone. until michael. and what starts out as something transactional and temporary becomes something more. something meaningful.

this is short and in spite of the seedy beginning, the love story works, in part because michael is the perfect counterpoint to what dillon needs.

**tricks and bids will publish on february 17, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/ninestar press in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really quick read (novella length). I honestly thought it was a full-length book before I began though, so that was a surprise when I began reading and noticed that I hit the 25% mark in just a couple chapters. The biggest problem with novellas is that you miss out on the character development aspect and that was the case with this book as well, unfortunately.

Mike is a prostitute, not because he had to be, but because he chose to be, which was certainly different than the usual. Dillon is a Dominant and Mike spots him coming out of a BDSM club and propositions him for a night together. It's not something Dillon would normally do, but he finds Mike attractive and appealing in a way he hasn't experienced before, so he says yes.

Mike & Dillon get together a few times, with Mike getting paid handsomely to do those scenes. After a few meetings, they both want more and that's where the book basically ends, when they agree to move from a business relationship to a personal one. We get an epilogue 6 months into the future, but it still leaves you wanting more. We never really get to see how their relationship plays out in the real world and the 'I love you's' feel hollow since we lack that insider knowledge into their relationship.

The sex was hot though, which I would expect nothing less of since it is 80% of the book. I loved how much Dillon respected Mike, despite his occupation. He was honest and thoughtful and never took advantage of Mike. There wasn't a whole lot not to like about either character, I just wish we could continue their story past their 'let's be lovers' declaration.

This is a sexually explict, true BDSM m/m book. Both Mike and Dillon are very interesting people. Mike is a little lost. He is going to school and stumbled into prostitution as a way to support himself. He fits the submissive profile like a glove. Dillon is older, an accountant, who is pretty settled in life and is recovering from the loss of his prior partner/submissive Clover.

When Dillon and Mike connect, it is initially a professional relationship. It is also the first serious BDSM interaction Mike has had. Dillon takes their "contracts" very seriously and a lot of attention is paid to consent and control.

It is a very short read - but I enjoyed both characters and the honesty and acceptance each had for each other. Their is no shaming of Mike for his role as a prostitute (in fact Dillon just recommends that he make sure he has a good retirement plan in place). I think I would have liked the book more if it had been a bit longer with more of a chance for the characters to develop and see where things went after they formalized their relationship (rather than just a quick epilogue).

If this is what you are in to - I definitely recommend it!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my ow.

I really like that we're at the point with BDSM romance were it's okay to have both characters interested and into the lifestyle. I particularly like that there are no scenes of dubious consent in this story which can be an issue in both M/M and link stories. I really like that Mike's job as a full service sex worker isn't shamed or dramatised, but rather treated as any other occupation. Finally, while I would have preferred the story to be a little bit longer to allow the relationship to breathe a little more, I like what relationship is built.

Jacqueline Grey is another new author for me. This Suit of Harte's Series looks as though it's being republished from 2014. The covers are updated to be much more modern looking - and quite delicious! The stories stand the test of time; I'm not sure if the author has done any editing.

In this particular novella, Dillan Spade is leaving a BDSM club one night when he's propositioned by Michael Noel. NOrmally, Dillan wouldn't pay to scene with someone but there's something about Michael that entices him too. In spite of the fact that Michael isn't a full-time sub, the two men connect well. It's not long before their feelings are getting involved...and things need to change from a business arrangement to something else if they're going to protect themselves. Or maybe... they need to break things off.

What I really enjoyed about this novella was that there's a great deal of depth to the characters in spite of the brevity! Grey has done a wonderful job of sneaking in lots of past, feelings, thoughts, without over-writing for the length of the work. That's a great skill and makes me look forward to reading a longer work from this author.

The BDSM is well thought out. I was pleased to see the contracting and negotiations. You all know that nothing drives me bonkers more than BDSM that doesn't read as authentic. This does, and I'm thankful for that.

Definitely a series I would keep reading!

4 Stars for Tricks & Bids by Jacqueline Grey

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.

I have not read this genre before - this is a M/M relationship & it does end in a HEA

Michael is propositioned outside a club and decides to go home with Dillion for the night. The two have a contract Dom / Sub relationship.
Their chemistry and S***X 🔥 is off the charts and there is an amazing mutual attraction. Dillion has not been in a serious relationship for over 6 yrs. He is drawn to Michael and wants to take care of him ....

This was a quick read & what started as a business contract led to a real love between these 2 characters. Michael had been floundering in his life and having someone he can lean on - care for & also be taken care of gives him the courage to go back to school and change some aspects in his life !

Book Cover is what got my attention too ~ Great story !!

This is a Novella. It's very short. It's only 66 pages. But...for that fact it's that short you get a lot of character backgrounds and developement in between all the steamy scenes. Usually you don't get a lot of characters when a book is this short but this author has managed it and left me wanting more of those two characters.
This is essentially a bdsm m/m book and we have Dillon, a dom, who has lost his one and only sub years ago and is still not over it. Then we have Mike, who's a prostitute as a side job to finance his school and he approaches Dillon outside a bdsm club and Dillon ends up taking him home and this is where we're starting with our story. Again, it's short, it's steamy, it has bdsm but not too hardcore and we have great characters. The athor, in the end, mentioned that she is a character driven person when she's reading and this is exactly me too so I actually really liked both characters so much and as I said, I wanted more in the end. I wanted to get more heart to heart and more of their stories. This means, I really like it a lot. I've read it in one sitting because I didn't want to stop.

If you are looking for a quick m/m bdsm romance with a lot of heat and interesting characters, this one if for you. Sometimes I feel like there isn't enough meat (har har) to a short romance story but this one does well adding to the characters and relationship.

Oddly cuddly, for a romance about a Master/sub relationship. Grey packs a surprising amount of nuance in this novella, which explores sex work, grief, and communication. I appreciated that it didn't rely on any miscommunication tropes--but perhaps that was because the resolution was comparatively fast. A solid entry for m/m romance readers who enjoy happy endings and dominance play.

I really liked this book, I found it very engaging and compelling from the first chapter. The plot was interesting and kept you wanting to continue reading! I think everyone should definitely if this book a read!