Founded over 400 years ago, the Sanctus Infinitus Redemptio has grown rich and powerful yet still remains secretive and strictly devoted to its founding principles that values submission and the responsibilities of dominants above all else. So, when one of the three grand masters, Dalton, notices signs that Hunter has been whipped, in direct violation of his hard limit, he wastes no time in recalling Hunter and his Dom, who is subjected to “retraining”. The problem then is what to do with Hunter, who desperately needs a proper Dom. For that, Dalton turns to Sig, who already has one sub, Lavin. Sig can’t refuse to take care of Hunter, but what will it mean for his relationship with Lavin?
“S.I.R.” is a rather different D/s story. Many of the common elements of these stories are present, such as a troubled sub and a perfect Dom. Only, Sig isn’t quite perfect. He isn’t the mind-reading Dom often protrayed, who knows his sub’s every thought and need. In short, he’s human, so while the premise of the story may seem a bit outlandish, the characters themselves are a bit more believable than you might expect.
Based on previous books I’ve read by this author, I was expecting a slow burn, but this story turns up the heat within the first few pages and it’s pretty much non-stop until the end. The kinky bits are pretty light, as the blurb promises. The book is more about D/s relationships and finding balance where many outsiders may see imbalance. The driving plot line is the need to ensure Hunter feels safe. Safe enough to reveal what is obviously a troubled past and start to think about what he wants, beyond pleasing his master.
The other somewhat unusual aspect of this story is the menage relationship. While not rare, it’s still uncommon to see such relationships portrayed, and always interesting to see how they’re handled. In this respect, Lavin is a key character. It’s easy to see why Sig would want to care for Hunter, but if his first sub doesn’t bond with the new boy, then it’s going to be a rocky relationship. Fortunately, Hunter’s situation makes it seem quite natural that Lavin would want to take him under his wing and be just as protective of him as Sig.
Owing to all the hotness, this is a rather quick read. The scenes and the emotional drama are enough to keep you reading to see what happens next. You have to suspend disbelief about the set-up, but that wasn’t too hard given the believability of the characters themselves.
“S.I.R.” is available from Amazon.