Shut Out

Sophie isn't afraid to put her man to work, “it's not that easy. I still don’t think you should be here.” She walked on wobbly legs to where she’d left a couple of large garbage bags, grabbed them, and shoved one at him. “Here, make yourself useful and help me clean up this chaos.” A relationship sometimes is all about compromise:
“Hmmm…” He stretched. And her mouth watered at the sight of his sexy , tattooed torso. “If I’m staying at home, I might get bored.”
“Just text me and I’ll rush back to alleviate boredom.” She’d settled back into his arms, content.
I liked this one in the series.

4.5 Stars

Favorite Quotes:

“He touched a fingertip to her nose, and then walked to the elevator, leaving her to stew, steam, worry, fret, and freak out all in the space of about ten seconds.”

“With this incredible man – a near perfect combination of strong and weak, of commanding and vulnerable, with a mature self-awareness now after a few months with her.”

“Sam always greeted her that way, like a worried puppy, convinced it must be dumb luck that he got to see her again, as if she would disappear forever unless he acted ecstatic at every greeting.

“Every day he amazed her all over again, terrifying her and charming her by his existence.”

“She took a deep breath, relieved and destroyed all in one second.”

My Review:

While making my way through this literary temptation known as Shut Out, I felt conflicted. Even immediately after finishing, I remain a bit addled and unsure in how to review or rate it. The writing was stellar - as are all Ms. Crowe’s books - yet there were elements in the story that greatly disturbed me. At one point I huffed to my husband that I must be cursed as Ms. Crowe just happened to employ all my least favorite tropes and plot devices in this painful tale – one that I couldn’t seem to walk away from despite my sputtering. The story twisted me up and nearly broke me. I was uncomfortable, antsy, miserable, and so fearful that it was going to end badly that I even considered not finishing, but that really wasn’t an option as despite my agony… I could not stop reading. My eyes stung and I was actually trembling and quaking as I read… and I will confess, this happened more than once. Yet I could not put my kindle down. I muttered many invectives at and about my beloved Ms. Crowe, whom I suspect has either mastered some form of magic or has sold her soul to the devil, as she has me under her spell. So while licking my figurative wounds from her battering of my sore coronary muscle, I decide she did indeed redeem herself with the sustaining conclusion, and that she also managed to appease my distress by appropriately identifying the behaviors that were of concern to me as abuse rather than an acceptable practice. She tied up most of those niggling loose ends rather nicely. After a large glass of wine and undoubtedly breathing easier, it appears that I am back in fan-girl mode. But I still have to wonder if a soul has been bartered…

Storyline: 4 Angst: 5 Tissue: 2 Value: 5 Panty Scorching: 4 Over All Rating: 4 Stars Reviewed by Robin

She did it again! Brody is the new goalie recruited for the Black Jacks. Sophie is the lady in charge of legal affairs for the team. What could they have in common? They’ve both been involved in BDSM. I liked this little twist and wanted to follow wherever this story was going to take me.

“The man wore a collar, a permanent one, inked on his skin. But the vibes he threw her proclaimed one thing loud and clear— the person who’d bestowed the collar no longer had a say about him at all.

Her mind swooped, whirled, and doubled around on itself, picturing him— Brody, the man— at her knees, bound, and awaiting her command. She shivered and jumped when her assistant appeared at the door. Brody had left, trailing that mysterious aura of vulnerability and strength behind him.”

I loved that these were two broken people who were helping each other heal. Of course, Liz Crowe had me crying again **throws kindle** This story is very emotional AGAIN, and I loved all of the characters although they don’t make the same decisions I would make in their shoes. The situation they were in obviously was a tragic one.

I definitely would recommend reading Shut Out. It’s angsty and leaves you biting your nails but the ending makes the entire story worth it. Give it a try.

Part 1 Robert "Brody" Vaughn was a sub. At least he'd been led to believe that by his abusive ex-mistress. Though he has some submissive qualities, he also has a dominant side too. Sophie Harrison, dominatrix and attorney for the Black Jack Gentlemen soccer team, wanted the gorgeous, built, younger soccer player. Their relationship was great, for the most part, aside from his medical problems with his concussion, they loved each other. He was determined to play soccer, even with the headaches, nausea, dizziness and passing out. All that led to surgery to release pressure on his brain from the concussion.

Part 2 Awake from surgery, things would never be the same. Part 2 is happy, sad, heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. You'll have to keep the tissues handy.

This book is a must read! Bravo Liz Crowe! This is an emotionally charged beautiful love story. I HIGHLY recommend reading, not only this book but the entire Black Jack Gentlemen series.

Received a copy in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed is my own.

My Thoughts about the Black Jack Gentlemen series: Man On, book one – this M/M story grabbed a hold of me from page one and never let go! Nicco is the 29 year old veteran soccer bad boy and Parker is fresh from college graduation. We see these 2 very different men from very different backgrounds learn to live with and like themselves while fighting an attraction to each other. Nicco feels that he would not be good for Parker because Parker is young and naïve and is still fighting his sexual identity. Parker has always been a yes-man and a pleaser and this rebellion (ditching med school to play soccer) is the first time that he’s taken something for himself and disregarded others feelings while he did it. This author writes a story that she led us through at a steady and believable pace. These 2 men did not take their feelings for each other lightly. They did not act rashly or disregard how a relationship between the 2 of them would affect the team and their pro sport images… There was a lot of story fit into 134 pages and I hung on every word! Am I the only one who love love LOVES a three years later epilogue??!! It’s amazing how gratifying a “three years later” epilogue can be and how gut wrenching and heart stopping a “three years later” part 2 in a book can be. How can books in the same series be so incredibly different and yet all tied together? For me the first book is a page turner m/m book, the second book, Red Card, is about a love lost that literally tore my heart from my chest and pulverized it into the ground… I ugly cried… snot-running, boohoo cried!! I wanted to take Metin and wrap him in bubble wrap and protect him from the world that had treated him so so badly! I think the authors note on the book description explains things best, Red Card is “A saga of family dynamics and gender politics that cuts across cultures and circumstance, Red Card illustrates the human capacity for forgiveness through the life of one man as he attempts to rebuild his shattered existence.” Shut Out is book 3 and it takes a look into the bdsm world and shows two people who are scarred from their pasts but they are trying to find a future together. Sophie and Brody are destined to be together. The road to get there was tough but oh so sweet when it finally happens! And finally book 4, Hat Trick, is another saga along the lines of book 2 that was written in the vein of gut-wrenching realism that made me want to go into the pages of the book and thump Declan in the head and rip the hair off of Cassandra’s head! Good grief this author knows how to take her characters, and by default the reader, through the halls of hell before she even thinks to give them/us a HEA… To me a good book/series is one that makes you feel and cheer and cry… this series is all that and more! Now excuse me while I embrace my book hangover and try to recover from the ‘feels’!
- See more at: http://thebookreadinggals.com/series-review-black-jack-gentlemen-by-liz-crowe/#sthash.XuHN7hq2.dpuf

So I really felt for Brody. What he thought was love and the way a relationship should be really not only messed him up but was also abusive. He losses all sense of self and confidence in everything but his soccer abilities. Sophie is in BDSM to help her build up her savings and to get out of debt. She doesn’ t really have a desire for it any more. It gives her control over herself and situations.

when Brody can’t handle the feeling of being off he accidentally ends up in Sophie’s playroom. She is who he feels will bring back his equilibrium and make him feel right again. Neither knew they would see each other again. neither knew they worked together. Her as a lawyer and him as the goalie for the team she is a lawyer for.

As they get to know one another there is heat and attraction seen. Neither wishes to act on it. Both are vulnerable and scarred from their pasts. Both have been on the bad and abusive side of what the BDSM lifestyle is. Sophie knows the difference though and Brody doesn’t . This brings him down a very bad spiral that almost costs him his future. His future with Sophie.

Each are great characters. Both scarred by their past and trying to find who they really are. Both needing to see where the boundaries are and what is good and bad for them. One needs to see the good because all he was given was the abusive side of romance. The other needs to see the vulnerability in the other and help them-let go of the fear of being hurt so that you can help.

A story of love and fear. Of finding the strength to walk away but still need help to see what is true and real and what is just abusive and selfish. To find someone to love them unconditionally and make them whole. Who helps them find themselves and see the beauty of love and happiness. To know they deserve better and with each other can have it. A wonderful story that is just the right pace to keep you interested and with enough emotional ups and downs to keep you wanting to see them come out on top.