Deviations: Submission

By: Chris Owen, Jodi Payne

Narrated by: Maxx Power

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Tobias is a skilled Dom, able to bring even the most hesitant submissive around. Noah is a man in need of just that. He wants to sub badly but has yet to find someone he believes can take him where he needs to go.

Through a series of encounters in the world of bondage and discipline, Noah reveals why he has trouble trusting, why he needs such a firm, steady hand. Tobias may allow himself to dominate, but he has trouble letting himself love. Still, Tobias can't resist Noah's charms, and the two of them set about making a scene for themselves, one that works for them and their unique set of problems. They learn to love, but can they stay together while they explore each other's secrets in a world where all is laid bare and emotions run high?

From authors Chris Owen, writer of the popular Bareback, and Jodi Payne, writer of String of Pearls, comes a romance on the deviant side, where love is all tied up with the need to submit, the need to dominate, and the need to share a life of exploration and care. These two skilled authors create a world that's hard to resist and a book that's even harder to pause.

©2007 Jodi Payne and Chris Owen (P)2017 Jodi Payne and Chris Owen

A favorite BDSM romance

First review, July 29, 2011:
This book is as much a psychological study as it is an erotic novel. Gentlemanly Master Tobias has as many insecurities and worries about his role as a Dom as does sweet Noah about his continuing role as a sub. Tobias is a highly skilled Dom but has been without a sub for a while. The breakup with his previous slave Phantom, while affectionate, was very painful for both Tobias and Phantom. Noah has suffered at the hands of a Dom who failed to protect him and another Dom who abused him. They are brought together by a mutual friend and see something in each other worth tentatively pursuing.
This is an excellent book. I highly recommend it!

Second review, February 12, 2017 after rereading the book:
On his 41st birthday. Dr. Tobias Vincent, a wealthy large animal vet, makes an appointment for dinner at the BDSM club he used to visit regularly. His best friend Bradford owns the club and is happy to see Tobias. The rest of the club is full of gossip about why Tobias is there and where he has been for the past year or so.
Tobias is a very toppy Dom, confident, well trained, and demanding. He has played with many subs over the years but had a long-term D/s relationship with a sub named Phantom. In fact, at one point Phan was Tobias’ slave, a bond that suited both men very well until…well, until it didn’t. The breaking of their contract, while mutually agreed upon was painful for both men and Tobias has been without a regular sub since then.
Noah is a police officer and a sub. His friends and coworkers know he is gay but do not know about his submissive nature, and he prefers to keep it that way. He is a cop, after all. Noah is lost in his quest for true submission, which to Noah means a peaceful stillness in his mind and body, caused by giving someone he trusts complete control of everything outside of his career. He has been abandoned by one Dom and abused by another, making trust a difficult goal. Noah has begun to doubt that he will ever find the right Dom. Bradford thinks the two men would make a good pairing and introduces them. When Tobias finds out Noah refuses to use safewords he realizes Noah has a huge problem that will make submission impossible and will cause Noah to “break” before he finds his headspace in submission. Tobias believes he is the right Dom to take Noah on this journey, but is he? Will Tobias have to change, too?
Together, at first very tentatively, Tobias and Noah embark on a journey that will take Noah to his submissive boundaries and beyond, and will take Tobias back in time to see if he needed to take a different path to Domination, especially with Phantom, and now with Noah. As we watch both men grow and change, their reasons for actions and reactions are usually well thought out and at least explained to the reader. Then things go wrong, painful truths are revealed and solutions tested.
This review is written after my second read of the book, six years after the first. An amazing book, beautifully written and read with great pleasure. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to explore a mm romance based on a BDSM lifestyle.

Additional review after listening to the audiobook: The narrator did a great job. I have to admit the voices he used for the characters did not match how I imagined them, but that's common when listening to a book you've already read. Still a favorite BDSM romance.

A realistic portrayal

I'm really happy I was able to read this book. I'm so tired of reading these BDSM books written by people that have never truly experienced professional or experienced play. Yes, this book is a bit clinical and focuses a lot on the relationship and the characters' feelings, but that's how these dynamics are. It felt authentic to me and I'm glad the focus wasn't just the sex part.

Maxx Power does a pretty good job narrating. I think he has a great voice for narrating but his characters need some more distinction.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Almost great

Pretty accurate bdsm for a romance novel, although I’ve never heard so many men use the word “lovely” so many times. Tobias’ personal playroom is definitely the stuff of fantasy and I’m envious! It’s a good story and there’s a lot of heat.

I’ve heard this narrator and liked his stuff before, but this one just misses the mark a bit. He has a wonderful voice, but the dialogue from the two MC’s sounds pretty robotic.

The sound quality really put me off. It sounds like it was recorded with an old-time radio microphone.

Having said that, though, none of it put me off so much that I won’t listen to the next one. I liked it.

Great BDSM Story

This is great story with lots of BDSM elements, the MCs' relationship is totally based in the BDSM lifestyle. Tobias and Noah both have a lot of issues and they are both insecure in their own way. As their relationship grows, I like that I can see them trying to work these issues, although in this book I see more from Noah's side than from Tobias'. Hopefully we'll see more of Tobias working through his issues in the other books. The narrator did a good job with the characters and the presentation of the story as a whole. I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this audiobook.

Loved it

Was so happy that this one came out on audio & can't wait for the rest of the books to as well. The narrator was okay & I didn't immediately like him but he did kind of grow on me. Tobias & Noah meet in the club on the night of Tobias's birthday when Tobias goes for dinner. After several scenes together that worked out well, they discuss & come to an agreement on a contract. I love the farm & the role playing that they did. Loved watching Tobias bring out Noah's true submission. I have read these book several times & I still don't like Phantom. Yes I feel very sorry for him but I just don't like his character.

a very nice book

it's not just a good story but also a nice little glimpse into the bdsm done right for one's thank god.

Life is not a straight line of first time successe

4 Blue Roses
5 Blue Flames
Second time I listened to this audiobook.

Narrator Maxx Power delivered a sexy well designed BDSM romance successfully.

I'm hooked and completely enamored by these two MC's. The cadence of his voice and pace of his reading is almost too slow for me. I find listening at 1.25 speed was sufficient. The lack of emotional submersion, did bother me the first time around, but as I heard this audiobook a year ago and since I heard some of his newer work for author Nicholas Bella, it aroused my curiosity and I just had to go back and re-listen.

I kept an open mind and let the audio just wash over me. The plot was well planned and it sucked me in deeper than before.

I think the reason is that I enjoyed listening to this audiobook now, is previously I lacked experience with BDSM audiobooks. Don't judge me until you've walked a mile in my shoes, and all that bullshit.

I do recommend this audiobook, it is part of a series and I plan to listen to them all.
The scenes are very original and truly harcore.

I need to find me a sexy veterinarian dom with a barn full of toys.
Happy Listening.

GREAT READ!

I loved it! This book was hot. The narration was great. It will keep you entertained. These authors did a great job with the characters and plot. This was not my first book by these authors, I previously read Bondage. I look forward to reading more books in this series. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Best BDSM series EVER Written

Over and out the best. Please please please Audible bring on the rest of the series. Bareback by this author is another AWSOME book as well.

Wonerful Book with Good Narration

I have read this book before I listened to the audio version. This is what I wrote on the book then:

"Took me a while to finish this but it was life:( Anyway the characters were well thought out and made you see them as real. The only trouble I had was the dom was a little too "perfect". I really enjoyed seeing them meet and finding their way through their own pasts to make a new relationship based on trust work. The humor in the "fantasy" scenes struck a very realistic cord and made the characters more approachable. I look forward to the rest of the series."

I gave it the full 5 stars then (2011). I still think that the author did a fantastic job with the characters in the story, I think as for the story itself I understood it a little more and appreciate it more now than then. I believe the author did wonders in giving the readers a look at one of the ways a D's relationship works. The author also lets it be know that it isn't the only way or the only "right" way. Each relationship works different. Also I think she shows that the relationship formed from this is an extremely tight and personal one when it exists.

Since this is a series the ending is left a little open but it could be the only book read in the series and it would leave the reader with the ability to feel like if this was the end it would be okay.

Now the narration...well this I feel I needed to take a little off for. The narrator did wonderfully with making distinct voices but the tonal quality came off as flat...the same cadence throughout. It made it sound a little bit monotone. It is really hard to describe but it made the story lack a bit of emotion that would have connected me more to the story.

Still this is worth the listen. I quite enjoyed it and even with the narration not being quite what I would have liked.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.