The Auction Lot: Sold to the Billionaire
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Posted in Book Reviews on August 18, 2024
Ethan is about to graduate from university. Like most students these days, he’s racked up a big pile of student loans to pay off. On top of that are debts he and his brother incurred when their father got ill before he died. Getting into the sub auction would not only allow him to pay off his debts but ensure a comfortable life after the one year contract. Plus, it would allow him to experience the full-time submissive lifestyle he thinks he wants.
Merrick is one of the world’s richest men. He can afford anything he wants, but that comes with its own problems. Subs fall over themselves trying to get his attention, but since people know who he is, Merrick can never be sure if it’s him or his money the young men are interested in. The auction seems like the best way to enjoy the lifestyle he wants without worrying about the other man’s expectations. They’ll both know up front what they’ll get out of it.
Most Dominant/submissive (D/s) romances are pure fantasy, but the setup of this one, with its “sub auction,” goes well over the top. Fortunately, the author doesn’t seem to expect us to take it too seriously and mines quite a bit of humor from the process, which only takes up the first few chapters. The slightly incredible setup gets around a common flaw in many D/s stories: A Dom that has more time and money to spend on a sub than seems reasonable. Merrick definitely has the money to buy whatever he wants for Ethan, or to use on him, as the case may be.
Perfect Doms finding their perfect sub is a very common theme to most of these stories, and this one is no different. The idea of a billionaire who isn’t a self-obsessed jackass may be more far-fetched than the sub auction, but if you can get past that, Merrick is otherwise a believable character. His motivations for participating in the sub auction feel sound, and he treats Ethan with respect even as he dominates the young man.
Ethan is a very lovable character. He’s definitely a “brat” in D/s terms, but that’s a large part of what makes him so likeable. You can see Ethan becoming a grounding influence on Merrick, keeping him from being too aloof from everyday life. It's easy to imagine the two men being very complimentary in their relationship.
“The Auction Lot: Sold to the Billionaire” is available from Amazon (commissionable link).