Many romance novels (or erotica) approach kink and BDSM by depicting safe and responsible relationships between partners that could theoretically exist in a healthy real life setting. And then there are BDSM stories that deliberately exist in a universe that both isn't real and isn't desirable, all in the service of erotic satisfaction in what is clearly fantasy and not real life. Under Contract belongs in that second category.
In some presumably future dystopian society, sex slavery is legal, and functions as a sort of extended contract BDSM prostitution. The titular contract is a legally binding one between owner and slave, and there are brokers and trainers who prepare slaves for their jobs and also dissuade the interest of any "thrill-seekers," potential slaves who have other sources of income who think they want to be owned and used and give over their consent to be in a BDSM-style relationship without any kind of safe word to protect them.
The story focuses on Gavin, a former slave who is now a trainer, and his new trainee Alex, who he assumes is a thrill-seeker due to Alex's age (45) and the fact that he's been able to work and survive without selling himself into sex slavery before now. Gavin's opinion of the situation slowly changes as he puts Alex through the ropes, and their connection deepens and grows a bit complicated once emotions enter the picture.
The sex and the kink is very well written, and the fact that Alex is 45 and Gavin is in his early thirties also adds an unusual and welcome dynamic to the pairing and overall story. This isn't a good story for readers looking for one monogamous relationship at the heart of it; Gavin has a partner of four years independent of his training work, and Alex has very enthusiastic sex with numerous people throughout the story. The ending and final resolution felt a bit rushed to me, and occasionally I wanted to thwap a couple of the characters over the head with a newspaper until they stopped being quite so clueless about their own feelings, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Grade: B
In some presumably future dystopian society, sex slavery is legal, and functions as a sort of extended contract BDSM prostitution. The titular contract is a legally binding one between owner and slave, and there are brokers and trainers who prepare slaves for their jobs and also dissuade the interest of any "thrill-seekers," potential slaves who have other sources of income who think they want to be owned and used and give over their consent to be in a BDSM-style relationship without any kind of safe word to protect them.
The story focuses on Gavin, a former slave who is now a trainer, and his new trainee Alex, who he assumes is a thrill-seeker due to Alex's age (45) and the fact that he's been able to work and survive without selling himself into sex slavery before now. Gavin's opinion of the situation slowly changes as he puts Alex through the ropes, and their connection deepens and grows a bit complicated once emotions enter the picture.
The sex and the kink is very well written, and the fact that Alex is 45 and Gavin is in his early thirties also adds an unusual and welcome dynamic to the pairing and overall story. This isn't a good story for readers looking for one monogamous relationship at the heart of it; Gavin has a partner of four years independent of his training work, and Alex has very enthusiastic sex with numerous people throughout the story. The ending and final resolution felt a bit rushed to me, and occasionally I wanted to thwap a couple of the characters over the head with a newspaper until they stopped being quite so clueless about their own feelings, but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Grade: B
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