Training Complex

Training Season Series, Book 2

By: Leta Blake

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

Can Rob help Matty defeat his inner saboteur for good? 

It’s summer in the city and figure skater Matty Marcus is still desperately in love with Rob Lovely. Although he misses the thrill and pressure of competition, he couldn’t be happier in their new life together, so he doesn’t understand why he’s secretly indulging in his eating disorder again and requesting harder, more intense BDSM scenes. Matty’s scared he’s losing control, and he has to believe that Rob, as always, will save him. 

Rob is equally crazy about Matty. He finally has the vivacious man he adores in his arms every night. But taking it to the limit has always been the name of Matty’s game, so Rob’s love must be stronger than Matty’s self-sabotage. Even when Matty’s inner demons try to take control, Rob is committed to find their way back. Together. 

Loving Matty isn’t always easy — but for, Rob it’s always worth it. 

Training Complex is an MM romance about a feisty, self-sabotaging former figure skater and the steady, strong man who loves him. It features opposites attract, hurt/comfort, domestic discipline, chastity play, and a heartfelt and epic happy ending. No cheating, no threesomes, and no breakups — just two amazing men fighting for their love!  

Content warning for disordered eating, misapplied BDSM, and mental health issues. 

©2015 Leta Blake (P)2020 Leta Blake

Eating disorder drama was overstuffed.

Finally found a Leta Blake book I didn't like.

How disappointing.

I gave this 4 hours of my time and about 40% through with the book before I gave up.

Its just nowhere near as good as the first book.

I really didn't like all these conflicts and dark situations happening one right after another. It was too much, too quickly. I felt like the romance was drained was too often and the sparks just didn't fly as strong as they did.

This far into a book and I felt like my time was not being respected with these pacing issues of nothing really happening for too long. There was so many dialog scenes that just felt more educational then for story. I know what eating disorders are, most people learn this in highschool, i really don't need a rundown of elementary lessons of what a eating disorder is.

The Erotic scenes also were not fun either, just didn't have as much feeling to them. I didn't really like that it sometimes even felt kinda sad, i didn't like where the book was going.

There was just way too much internal torture for my liking and too little time alleviating it that it was becoming such a turn off.

Also the whole focus on eating disorders was overwhelming. The plot was really heavy handed and barely strayed from anything other then to focus on that. I needed variety or something the break up so much of the eating disorder talk.

Im glad I quit, I feel like at this stage I'm so frustrated with the writing being so slow and dry, even if it did pick up at this point, I wouldn't feel like it was worth it.

Fantastic

I loved this in ebook format when I read it a couple of years ago and loved it! The audiobook format is so good and brings these characters to life in a new way. LOVED Ferraiuolo's narration of this novel and will definitely be one I listen to again.

So heartbreaking!

Matty andRob make a cute couple, but it is understandable that they face new problems now that both their lives are going through so many changes! This book (along with the first one in the series) was a rollercoaster of emotions and heartbreak, paired with an amazing ending full of hope. I really recommend it. The narrator was great and the way in which the story was told helped me really get lost in it.

Impressed as always with both author and narrator!

You know how an audiobook you listen to leaves its mark on you, so when a sequel pops up, you get all anxious because, hello, expectations? That's what was happening with me right before I started listening to Training Complex, the second book in the Training Season series from Leta Blake and narrated once again by Michael Ferraiuolo. Training Season was such an amazing audiobook, so I had mixed feelings of excitement and apprehension. My expectations were...yeah, "high" doesn't even begin to cover it. But boy, oh boy, did Blake and Ferraiuolo surpass them. I loved seeing how far Matty and Rob had come as a couple, but my heart also clenched tightly in my chest knowing that there were still hurdles in front of them. Rob was such a great source of love and support for Matty, offering patience and understanding to the man he loved most. Blake has penned a moving and inspiring story of love of self and for someone else, and Ferraiuolo never ceases to amaze, bringing this story and these characters to life once again. Five-plus stars!

(Just a quick note that Training Season must be listened to before Training Complex.)

Loved Matty and Rob!!

This was sooo good!! I absolutely loved Matty and Rob! This is the sequel to Training Season. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I started it because while I had read the first, I hadn't read this one. The author address so many issues, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, etc. She did a great job with them. This was fantastic!! Michael Ferraiuolo does such a fantastic job with the narration, he has turned into one of my favorite narrators.

You are my North Star

Ah!!! I was so nervous when I started listening this book because Training Season is one of my very favorite books and I loved Matty and Rob. So I was kinda scared about the sequel but should have never doubted because this is brilliant.

Both Matty and Rob are starting a new chapter in their lives. Matty is enjoying his new life as a figure skating coach while Rob has also settled living in a big city being a physical therapist. Everything seemed perfect in the beginning but they both found out that concrete jungle has done a number on them already. Rob is yearning for the life back at the country and Matty is stressed and having eating disorders and playing a dangerous game in their bedroom. They both love each other so much but is it enough to overcome the biggest hurdle of their life?

Sexy and romantic but quite angsty at time. Oh .. that bittersweet angst that wrench your heart. But it was all worth it in the end. It’s always very difficult to write a sequel for an established couple who’ve already achieved HEA in the previous book but I believe Leta Blake nailed it. And of course, that eargasmic performance of Michael Ferraiuolo made this story even more enjoyable. Loved it! Can’t recommend both books enough.

5 You are my North Star stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Audio rating

Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A sequel I enjoyed as much as the first book

Enjoyable connecting with the guys again. After the 'I Love You's life trips you up, and  the conflicts and the way the managed those issues were believable. Communication or lack of it, and a reliance on increasingly intense sex, and destructive behaviour, to solve issues that would have been better approached by talking makes up a lot of the story. As such there was a lot of on page sex scenes with a heavy BDSM and kink component. They were probably necessary given the nature of the relationship but a little too frequentfor my taste. Of course Leta Blake can write excellent kinky sex with a human connection which helps.
The narration was excellent.

Informative story

Not being into pain this found me shocked and it's an insight into Anorexia and what appears a terrifying disease its well written and thankfully has a happy ending.

Emotional read perfectly captured by Ferraiuolo

Matty and Rob have some serious issues to work through in this book and Michael Ferraiuolo perfectly captures their emotional struggles. This is an interesting story because Matty and Rob are already an established couple when the story begins. However, some of Matty's old demons are beginning to reawaken and together he and Rob are pushing some limits that the really need to consider carefully in their dom/sub relationship. Leta Blake does a masterful job of drawing us in and making us feel the love and the pain in this relationship and Michael Ferraiuolo performs both superbly.

More Rob and Matty FTW!

Training Season was my first Leta Blake ever and Rob and Matty have always held a piece of my heart, so you bet I was going to jump at the chance of reviewing Training Complex and I wasn't disappointed.

Rob was as steadfast, loving, and loyal as ever. He's a rock from which Matty draws strength. Matty was fabulous, but he's also very messed up. He's still dealing with his demons and not even Rob can help him most days. It was heartbreaking to see him going through so much, but it was also uplifting to see how much better he was by the end of this book. The chemistry and love these two men shared jumped out of the pages and they were super hot together.

Michael Ferraiuolo did a fantastic job bringing Matty and Rob and the rest of the cast to life His narration was flawless and full of emotion.

I have no trouble recommending this great story, just read book 1 first and proceed with care, because there's some misused BDSM and mentions of an eating disorder and mental illness.

Michael Ferraiuolo saves the sequel

You know what they say about sequels: they're never as good as the original and maybe, sometimes, it’s best to just leave the original alone. I don’t think I’d go so far as the second point, but I do think even the talented Leta Blake had a challenge in writing a follow-up to a successful first book with an established and loved couple. Matty and Rob already got their HEA. This book is a take on the “what happens after the HEA” question. Here we see what happens and it’s not all rosy. Yes, they get a second HEA, but I didn’t find the second journey as enjoyable as the first.

Michael Ferraiuolo is the narrator for this audiobook and he is a large part of the “solve” for the sequel challenge presented in this book. His amazing narration elevated the story and made it so much more engaging than it might have been just on paper/screen. His diction, range of voices and faithfulness to the words on the page and how they are said is phenomenal. Having him voice the characters here is a huge value-add. I highly recommend that if you read this book (and I would only read it if you’re read the first book first), that you listen to the audiobook as well.

Emotional and Beautiful Romance

Training Complex is the second book in the Training Season series. I don’t suggest reading it as a standalone, although it could technically work as one. There is so much that happens in book 1, Training Season, that really enhances the emotional outcome of Training Complex.

I was blown away by this book. Leta Blake is a fantastic writer who really delved into the emotional complexities that come with being human. Rob, a strong Dom who cares for his sub, still has his weaknesses and vulnerabilities, still has his flaws and challenges, still stumbles and falls. Matty, the professional figure skater and pretty sub, still has his insecurities and demons, but also has amazing strength when he finally needs to step up and shoulder some of the burden. Together, these two characters completely melted my heart and touched me deeply. I was so in awe of how the navigated their emotions and breakdowns, and I was so ecstatic to see them fight for their happy ending.

The relationship between Rob and Matty is extremely dynamic and complex, and features a lot of kink and BDSM. Some of their play may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I absolutely loved it. I thought it was unique and extremely personal to both characters. Also, there were a lot of really hot and steamy sex scenes that had me fanning myself.

The audiobook was narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo who does an incredible job. I love Michael’s voice and found his narration perfect for the intricate emotions and fascinating storyline. The audiobook production was well done and overall I found this to be a highly enjoyable listening experience.