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A review by booksafety
The Good Boy by J.A. Rock, Lisa Henry
4.0
Book safety, tropes and tags down below.
I’ve read so many books since I read this one that it feels like it’s been years and not months since last time. I went for the audiobook this time, and it was just as good as the first time. I liked the narrator well enough, but he pronounced ‘ready’ like ‘raidy’, which really threw me off every time, lol. I’ve read a lot more books with kink since last time, which also gave me a better understanding of their relationship dynamic.
This books largely deals with the complex psychology behind both kink/the BDSM lifestyle as well as trauma, and the difficulty the characters face when trying to navigate a kinky relationship when one of the MCs has a lot of unresolved trauma (and I mean a lot).
The book also dives into victim psychology, which is really interesting as well as extremely complicated. Self blame, anger, denial, etc. Definitely not a cheerful read.
Two things I don’t like/missed:
1) Derek should have had to grovel a lot more for some of the things he did and said early in the book. So much of the focus was on Lane that Derek kind of got off a bit cheap. The way he sometimes treated Lane was definitely not up to BDSM/Dom standards.
2) Lane should have been in therapy. Full stop. If he was, this might have been a 5 star book. What Lane went through and the issues he had because of it afterward were very serious, and the author should have included professional help. I’m all for using kink and a partner to help you through some sh*t, but it’s not enough.
Oh, and bring the tissues for one of the scenes with Andy. You’ll know which one.
Book safety! Spoilers ahead.
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No. Extenuating circumstances separates them for about 24 hours.
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict top/bottom roles
TW/CW: sexual assault, physical assault, injuries, degradation, impact play, pain play, kink, BDSM, mild breath play, pet play, restraint, explicit sexual content, suicide (side character)
Tropes & tags
Age gap, enemies to lovers, kink, BDSM, false accusations, loss of fortune, community outcast, found family, animal shelter, family betrayal, white collar crime, poverty, pet/puppy play, collaring
I’ve read so many books since I read this one that it feels like it’s been years and not months since last time. I went for the audiobook this time, and it was just as good as the first time. I liked the narrator well enough, but he pronounced ‘ready’ like ‘raidy’, which really threw me off every time, lol. I’ve read a lot more books with kink since last time, which also gave me a better understanding of their relationship dynamic.
This books largely deals with the complex psychology behind both kink/the BDSM lifestyle as well as trauma, and the difficulty the characters face when trying to navigate a kinky relationship when one of the MCs has a lot of unresolved trauma (and I mean a lot).
The book also dives into victim psychology, which is really interesting as well as extremely complicated. Self blame, anger, denial, etc. Definitely not a cheerful read.
Two things I don’t like/missed:
1) Derek should have had to grovel a lot more for some of the things he did and said early in the book. So much of the focus was on Lane that Derek kind of got off a bit cheap. The way he sometimes treated Lane was definitely not up to BDSM/Dom standards.
2) Lane should have been in therapy. Full stop. If he was, this might have been a 5 star book. What Lane went through and the issues he had because of it afterward were very serious, and the author should have included professional help. I’m all for using kink and a partner to help you through some sh*t, but it’s not enough.
Oh, and bring the tissues for one of the scenes with Andy. You’ll know which one.
Book safety! Spoilers ahead.
Spoiler
Cheating: No
OM drama: No
Third-act breakup: No. Extenuating circumstances separates them for about 24 hours.
POV: 3rd person, dual
Strict top/bottom or vers: Strict top/bottom roles
TW/CW: sexual assault, physical assault, injuries, degradation, impact play, pain play, kink, BDSM, mild breath play, pet play, restraint, explicit sexual content, suicide (side character)
Tropes & tags
Spoiler
Age gap, enemies to lovers, kink, BDSM, false accusations, loss of fortune, community outcast, found family, animal shelter, family betrayal, white collar crime, poverty, pet/puppy play, collaring