THE RELUCTANT DOM by TYMBER DALTON

I am sobbing my heart out…I want to give this book 10 stars and more!!!

This book has every human emotion in it that makes for a fantastic read. It has LOVE, Passion, Hope, Sorrow & Courage.

It was extremely beautiful; so well written!!

As a reader, it took me through one of the most intensely emotional, painful, heartbreaking and torturous journeys I have ever experienced. I can’t even adequately describe just how amazing this book is and how emotionally exhausted I am from reading it.

Kaden and Leah have been married for 20 years when Kaden is suddenly diagnosed with progressive cancer. His prognosis isn’t good, in fact, he is dying, (am crying as I am writing this!) Kaden propositions his best friend since childhood, Seth, to take over from him after his death as Leah’s Dom. The reasons behind this proposal are utterly heartbreaking and harrowing!!

Seth has recently divorced wife number 3 and is in the process of re-starting his life, yet suddenly finds himself in a situation that seems beyond anything he has ever seen or been a part of before and understandably he is not sure he can go through with it.

I absolutely loved and admired Kaden. He was without a doubt one of the strongest male characters I have ever read. His love is unconditional. The strength he shows with the knowledge of his impending death is remarkable. His love for both Leah and Seth gave me the chills. I adored him! I loved his relationship with Seth, it broke my heart yet at the same time it made me laugh out loud at times.

“I love you, bro” – Kaden
“I love you too. Still not doing you.” – Seth

Kaden is why this book worked as well as it did. When we get his voice it touches your soul and his controlling nature in life in general, and in death, and his intense focus on Leah broke my heart.

I really loved Seth too. The pressure this guy must have felt to do right by his best friend had to have been immense. The inner battles he has with himself over the impending death of his best friend, the guilt of his love for Leah and what he is being asked to do. When he is reminded of his friends’ death, when he cries in the shower – I was sobbing!!! Seth is literally giving up his life as he knows it by agreeing to be trained by the ‘Master! and acquiring a ‘Slave’….

As this story is written in Seth’s POV it makes this story REAL. I went through the emotions Seth did and questioned as he did. It made his reactions REAL and Honest and therefore completely understandable!!! Again, he too showed true strength, love, and compassion.

In my opinion, this story was more about Kaden and Seth than Leah. Yes, Leah is the centre and the reason for the proposition, her traumatic past and lack of coping mechanisms being the catalyst. However, it was the story of Kaden and Seth that most resonated with me. Their brotherly love for each other.

For me, this book was not so much about sex or the lifestyle. It was about personal tragedy. How to cope with the loss of a loved one and go on living. The love of a good man who worries more for the people who have taken a piece of his heart than he does about himself.

I have to say that knowing Kaden was dying from the beginning was difficult. I was waiting for it, just like Seth, watching out for the signs. However, saying that, nothing prepared me for just how badly I was going to feel it…how emotional those scenes were.

We thoroughly recommend this book. A MUST READ!

Jenny 5 Star review:

I’ve just finished this book and I’m clutching my chest. What an emotional and deeply moving story.

“How long have you been in love with me?” he whispered.
“Always.”

I cried many times through it and it really did touch me deeply in my soul. I’ll admit, I’m a bit hit and miss with a lot of BDSM books. For me, I need to really grasp the emotional aspect of the relationship, not just the physical, and well, some books don’t go deep enough for me. However, this book hit EVERY emotional spot, and so much more!

In this book the relationship between Seth, Leah and Kaden is explored and it is done so well that you really feel the deep love and emotion these three go through. They share a deep bond and knowing throughout the that Kaden was dying, gave me a huge knot in my stomach and pain in my heart. This book was flawless, stunning and utterly beautiful.

‘Having survived something like that, it shows a person they can take more than they thought. It tempers the soul, and if it doesn’t destroy you, it can make you stronger.
Sometimes the old cliches weren’t just bullshit.’

It’s taken me a long time to get around to reading this book and I’m so annoyed I put off taking the plunge because this is a one in a million book. The kind that affects you and changes you and it’s will always stay with me. I’m forever affected by Seth, Leah, Kaden and Timber Dalton’s incredible storytelling.