Bark at the Ghouls

Looking for the perfect blend of sweet and spicy? Then do I ever have a recommendation for you.

It was just supposed to be another hookup for wealthy workaholic Malcolm. He needed to blow off steam after a stressful week and what better way to do it than having some no-strings sex with a willing submissive? When his date doesn’t show up at the bar on time he refuses to wait and instead sets his sights on a cute vacationing American who has been eyeing him.

Malcolm enjoys being in control and during his first conversation with cute but too chatty Owen he lets him know exactly what the score is.

“You talk too much. I’d love to see you gagged.”

Whoa! How’s that for a come on line?

Owen’s on vacation in London to see the sights with his ex-girlfriend. They’re just there as friends and she’s ditched him to get some action. This is how he ends up wandering into the vaguely sleazy pub all by his lonesome. He’s bi-sexual and looking for a good time but he has his misgivings about the gorgeous but too arrogant stranger.

“When his mother had talked about having an adventure, she probably hadn’t meant find a random British psychopath and get gagged, tied and dismembered.”

Owen lets lust and his sense of adventure override commonsense and he leaves with bossy Malcolm. They spend the night having a kinky fun-filled time and boy is it well written. Malcolm attempts to play the role he is so very good at but soon realizes that Owen doesn’t play by the rules. Malcolm even loses control, something he never does, and he enjoys it far more than he’s willing to admit aloud. The next morning neither guy really wants to say goodbye just yet so they don’t. One night turns into a few days and as the guys start to get know each other out of bed cool, always in control Malcolm finds himself getting attached to his sweet, sexy new lover. But eventually Owen must return to his real life.

Owen is such a super nice guy written with a wicked sense of humor and sarcasm that I loved him from the beginning. He’s also not a pushover and was the perfect match for someone like Malcolm. Honestly though, Malcolm is a character I would typically dislike a whole helluva lot just because I have a thing against wealthy, yuppie asshats who are all “jaded and cold” just because they can be but he’s not really this guy at all. He has so many small moments that prove otherwise that I didn’t want to smack him for too long. Owen saw through him quickly so it wasn’t an issue anyway. Only with Owen could Malcolm relax and truly be himself and damn if that didn’t melt my own cold heart. Still, in the end, I never quite understood why Malcolm felt the need to act the big bad asshole to the world at large but I’m sure there is a story behind it somewhere and I would love to read it.

Country Mouse really surprised me. After reading Dark Soul by Aleksandr Voinov and Keeping Promises Rock and Chase In Shadow (holy hell just thinking about that book makes my heart weep) by Amy Lane I was all geared up for some crushing angst, or at the very least a little dangerous violence-laden sex, but instead I found a tender and often amusing story about two guys finding love with only a little bit of butt smacking and a whole lot of scorching sex. Not that I’m complaining! If you’re looking for a lovely read about two guys getting to know each other in and out of bed without any drama, fighting, jealousy or other angsty-ness I can easily recommend adding this one to your reading list. I loved it and that’s saying a lot seeing as it lacks the darkness I’m typically drawn to.