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Saving Alexander
Punishing himself for a horrific past that is not his fault, bestselling author Alexander Montgomery seeks redemption and love—and perhaps he will find it.
Famous author though he may be, Alexander Montgomery is not someone you take home to meet your mother. Seriously flawed, damaged by a horrific past, he’s trying hard to claw his way back to normality. But how can anyone respect what he truly is? His therapy involves regular sessions at Study in Scarlet, an exclusive S&M club.
Then comes Sage. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm and boy-next-door good looks, he’s the perfect choice to play the leading man in a TV adaptation of Alex’s latest best-seller. Even more, he is a man you introduce to your family. Which Alex would do—if he weren’t taken by another man who offers the punishments Alex prays will wipe away the past and make him the person he wants to be. Yet, perhaps there is another path to redemption. If only the solution would reach out and touch him.
Famous author though he may be, Alexander Montgomery is not someone you take home to meet your mother. Seriously flawed, damaged by a horrific past, he’s trying hard to claw his way back to normality. But how can anyone respect what he truly is? His therapy involves regular sessions at Study in Scarlet, an exclusive S&M club.
Then comes Sage. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm and boy-next-door good looks, he’s the perfect choice to play the leading man in a TV adaptation of Alex’s latest best-seller. Even more, he is a man you introduce to your family. Which Alex would do—if he weren’t taken by another man who offers the punishments Alex prays will wipe away the past and make him the person he wants to be. Yet, perhaps there is another path to redemption. If only the solution would reach out and touch him.
256 pages, ebook
First published October 28, 2013
About the author
Susan Mac Nicol
52 books543 followersBringing lovers together, one book at a time
The official stuff
Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance stories, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark and hopefully always entertaining. She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a member of The Society of Authors, the Writers Guild of Great Britain, and the Authors Guild in the US.
Susan is also an award-winning script writer, with scripts based on two of her own published works. Sight Unseen has garnered no less than five awards to date and her TV pilot, Reel Life, based on her debut novel, Cassandra by Starlight, was also a winner at the Oaxaca Film Fest.
The ‘unofficial’ stuff…
She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert or the divine Cumberbatch) walks in the countryside, a good G and T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching re-runs of Silent Witness and Wire in the Blood.
Her chequered past includes stories like being mistaken for a prostitute in the city of Johannesburg, being chased by a rhino on a dusty Kenyan road, getting kicked out of a youth club for being a ‘bad influence’ (she encourages free thinking) and having an aunt who was engaged to Cliff Richard
.
The official stuff
Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance stories, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark and hopefully always entertaining. She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a member of The Society of Authors, the Writers Guild of Great Britain, and the Authors Guild in the US.
Susan is also an award-winning script writer, with scripts based on two of her own published works. Sight Unseen has garnered no less than five awards to date and her TV pilot, Reel Life, based on her debut novel, Cassandra by Starlight, was also a winner at the Oaxaca Film Fest.
The ‘unofficial’ stuff…
She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert or the divine Cumberbatch) walks in the countryside, a good G and T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching re-runs of Silent Witness and Wire in the Blood.
Her chequered past includes stories like being mistaken for a prostitute in the city of Johannesburg, being chased by a rhino on a dusty Kenyan road, getting kicked out of a youth club for being a ‘bad influence’ (she encourages free thinking) and having an aunt who was engaged to Cliff Richard
.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
November 20, 2013
I don’t really know quite what to say, I see lots of red stars and a very high average rating, so I can only presume this is just a book that didn’t work for me personally… or I read a completely different book to everyone else!?! I am a firm believer that not every book is for every reader and this is obviously one of those cases… well for me anyway!!!
When I first saw the synopsis for Saving Alexander, I was desperate to get my hands on it because it has my name written all over it, damaged soul, tortured past, BDSM… hell yes!!! My kind of book.
Unfortunately not… I’m British so I get that us Brits are a bit reserved, a little on the conservative side, polite and well-mannered with the whole stiff upper lip attitude. But I got no emotion from Alex or Sage to grasp and run with, I tried, oh boy did I try to see into their heads and find some… but they are both too nice, and all very cheesy when I wanted anger frustration… I wanted to feel the sizzling sexual tension between them and got nothing. The events of the books were described and I was told how they were feeling… and was reminded countless times how much of a saint Sage was, he was patient and understanding and how strong and tough Alex was, I didn’t want to be told I wanted to see it and feel it in my heart. I felt as though I was trying to be convinced of the fact, but I myself couldn’t see it. Even the dialog gave me very little to work with… it felt at times like a regency novel where they are polite and courteous and where the hard facts of life are far too disturbing for delicate ears, so it’s discussed behind closed doors or off page which only distanced me more from the emotion. Even the therapy sessions which could have been an outpouring of emotion, felt like a love sick teenager discussing his first love.
The opening scene with Alex and Eric gripped me… as did all three scenes with Eric, now out of all the characters, for me Eric was probably the most animated, I got him, I could totally see where he was coming from. He had spent two years performing his favourite brand of sadistic pleasure with a man that took it all and needed it to keep hold of his sanity. Eric is a narcissistic control freak so when Alex starts to pull away he no longer feels in control, and a man like that will always take matters into his own hands. Something that Alex should have been more aware of after his experience with Rudy!?!
Alex’s nightmare scene that was another high point for me… I felt his pain even though at that point I had no idea where it was coming from, but that combined with the BDSM scenes with Eric I was getting somewhere.
The turning point and what should have been the pivotal part of the book for me was the revelation, up until that point I was still on board hoping it would improve and it’s where Alex opens his heart and reveals his tortured past, the abuse he had suffered at the hand of a cult leader that had kept him imprisoned… which should have had at least some stirrings of emotions, nothing! Alex has lived through a pretty horrific experience and I love my dark reads, but with Alex I found it hard to feel his pain, the events happened off page and we only learn of them through his telling of his past to Sage, it was a detached and matter of fact account of his eight months of abuse and torture. Alex also explains there would always be another man in their relationship and not just any man but one that inflicts pain and torture on Alex because he likes it, or rather needs it. Now Sage had been in two past relationships that had ended badly when both men had been unfaithful and caught in the act by Sage, Yet he doesn’t even bat an eyelid at the abuse or the inclusion of Eric for the foreseeable future, this is their first intimate moment and the result of that scene for me should have been anger, frustration, heartfelt love and emotion but instead they “make love” no discussion, no questions, nothing… he just accepted it, at that point I was lost and as hard as I tried I couldn’t get into the book and his telling of that period in his life failed to move me.
As a character Sage is sweet, loving and kind and again all the things I was reminded of but for me he had no substance, we had an occasional spark of anger and jealousy only for him to berate himself for the outburst. Alex should at least have been a little bitter and twisted but again he was nice, if a little pouty at times something he also berated himself about… I had to wonder if these men were ever allowed to be just that, men… and in between it was a very domestic situation, all very nice with a mystery/thriller angle running through it but that also failed to create any tension on my part.
The sex scenes… one of my most anticipated part of any book… love them, the passion and intensity of a good sex scene is the icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned. What doesn’t work for me is a literary diagram describing what goes where and when… Sage’s mouth… Alex’s arm… Sage kissed… Alex moved… and so on, I totally disengage. I want first POV heartfelt emotion… not third POV description of the event… and that is the crux of the problem for me, I failed to connect emotionally or otherwise with the characters or their feelings and felt no chemistry between the two men, whatsoever!
Some authors you connect with, where you are taken over by their vision of what they see and want you to feel, their voice carries you into that world so you can lose yourself for a little while at least… and there are some you don’t connect with… some books blow you away and take you on a journey and some barely get you down the garden path. We are all different and as much as Saving Alexander didn’t work for me, for other readers it may well be a different case. I can only deduce that I failed to engage with Ms Mac Nicole, and her particular style of writing is not one that grabs me personally. Her main characters in this book are nice and sweet, with no rough, raw or rugged edges, it’s all neat and tidy, a little cliché with plenty of eye rolling on my part and, oh so terribly British where a cup of tea and a biscuit makes everything better…but unfortunately I take my tea with no sugar.
When I first saw the synopsis for Saving Alexander, I was desperate to get my hands on it because it has my name written all over it, damaged soul, tortured past, BDSM… hell yes!!! My kind of book.
Unfortunately not… I’m British so I get that us Brits are a bit reserved, a little on the conservative side, polite and well-mannered with the whole stiff upper lip attitude. But I got no emotion from Alex or Sage to grasp and run with, I tried, oh boy did I try to see into their heads and find some… but they are both too nice, and all very cheesy when I wanted anger frustration… I wanted to feel the sizzling sexual tension between them and got nothing. The events of the books were described and I was told how they were feeling… and was reminded countless times how much of a saint Sage was, he was patient and understanding and how strong and tough Alex was, I didn’t want to be told I wanted to see it and feel it in my heart. I felt as though I was trying to be convinced of the fact, but I myself couldn’t see it. Even the dialog gave me very little to work with… it felt at times like a regency novel where they are polite and courteous and where the hard facts of life are far too disturbing for delicate ears, so it’s discussed behind closed doors or off page which only distanced me more from the emotion. Even the therapy sessions which could have been an outpouring of emotion, felt like a love sick teenager discussing his first love.
The opening scene with Alex and Eric gripped me… as did all three scenes with Eric, now out of all the characters, for me Eric was probably the most animated, I got him, I could totally see where he was coming from. He had spent two years performing his favourite brand of sadistic pleasure with a man that took it all and needed it to keep hold of his sanity. Eric is a narcissistic control freak so when Alex starts to pull away he no longer feels in control, and a man like that will always take matters into his own hands. Something that Alex should have been more aware of after his experience with Rudy!?!
Alex’s nightmare scene that was another high point for me… I felt his pain even though at that point I had no idea where it was coming from, but that combined with the BDSM scenes with Eric I was getting somewhere.
The turning point and what should have been the pivotal part of the book for me was the revelation, up until that point I was still on board hoping it would improve and it’s where Alex opens his heart and reveals his tortured past, the abuse he had suffered at the hand of a cult leader that had kept him imprisoned… which should have had at least some stirrings of emotions, nothing! Alex has lived through a pretty horrific experience and I love my dark reads, but with Alex I found it hard to feel his pain, the events happened off page and we only learn of them through his telling of his past to Sage, it was a detached and matter of fact account of his eight months of abuse and torture. Alex also explains there would always be another man in their relationship and not just any man but one that inflicts pain and torture on Alex because he likes it, or rather needs it. Now Sage had been in two past relationships that had ended badly when both men had been unfaithful and caught in the act by Sage, Yet he doesn’t even bat an eyelid at the abuse or the inclusion of Eric for the foreseeable future, this is their first intimate moment and the result of that scene for me should have been anger, frustration, heartfelt love and emotion but instead they “make love” no discussion, no questions, nothing… he just accepted it, at that point I was lost and as hard as I tried I couldn’t get into the book and his telling of that period in his life failed to move me.
As a character Sage is sweet, loving and kind and again all the things I was reminded of but for me he had no substance, we had an occasional spark of anger and jealousy only for him to berate himself for the outburst. Alex should at least have been a little bitter and twisted but again he was nice, if a little pouty at times something he also berated himself about… I had to wonder if these men were ever allowed to be just that, men… and in between it was a very domestic situation, all very nice with a mystery/thriller angle running through it but that also failed to create any tension on my part.
The sex scenes… one of my most anticipated part of any book… love them, the passion and intensity of a good sex scene is the icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned. What doesn’t work for me is a literary diagram describing what goes where and when… Sage’s mouth… Alex’s arm… Sage kissed… Alex moved… and so on, I totally disengage. I want first POV heartfelt emotion… not third POV description of the event… and that is the crux of the problem for me, I failed to connect emotionally or otherwise with the characters or their feelings and felt no chemistry between the two men, whatsoever!
Some authors you connect with, where you are taken over by their vision of what they see and want you to feel, their voice carries you into that world so you can lose yourself for a little while at least… and there are some you don’t connect with… some books blow you away and take you on a journey and some barely get you down the garden path. We are all different and as much as Saving Alexander didn’t work for me, for other readers it may well be a different case. I can only deduce that I failed to engage with Ms Mac Nicole, and her particular style of writing is not one that grabs me personally. Her main characters in this book are nice and sweet, with no rough, raw or rugged edges, it’s all neat and tidy, a little cliché with plenty of eye rolling on my part and, oh so terribly British where a cup of tea and a biscuit makes everything better…but unfortunately I take my tea with no sugar.
November 1, 2013
Oh, this was such a beautiful love story! MCs Alex and Sage were just wonderful together. I loved this book, but it did have one major flaw in it, IMHO. I'll get to that after a brief synopsis.
Alex Montgomery truly was an incredibly damaged soul, physically and emotionally ruined by the sadistic leader of a supremacist cult. He really does win the "damaged" prize. I tried to think of a character in recent memory that came close to him in the angst department from my list of M/M romance books, and the closest I got was Kevin from Reclaiming Love, Sean from A Beautiful Disaster, Lee from The Island and poor, tormented Jaime from Between Sinners and Saints. He matched all of them and even surpassed a few. Alex has seen the devil and lived to tell the tale.
Enter all-around perfect male hero Christopher Sage. Handsome, hard working, talented actor who had a wonderful upbringing and a happy, stable family life. His parents die in a plane crash when he was 19 but instead of wallowing in misery, he reflects on the 19 glorious years he had with them and grows a fantastic familial bond with his father's best friend and Godfather, Miles, who he considers his second father. Look up "Every straight girl and gay man's perfect mate" in the dictionary and you'll see Sage's picture.
This is a romance wrapped in an intriguing mystery. Alex is an author who has written a series of books that is now a TV series Sage is starring in. Someone is taking scenes from the series and recreating them in real life, causing people to get hurt. The added suspense was a nice shot in the arm and kept me on my toes throughout the book. I literally couldn't put this down! Loved that added bonus.
OK, despite all the perfection of Saving Alexander there was one flaw I was not able to overlook. And I gave myself a day to think about it before I wrote my review to make sure I wanted to commit to this opinion. I even read some of the other reviews here to get a feel for what others were saying, to see if anyone else agreed with me. Well, no one did but my opinion didn't change. My problem was Sage. He was too perfect and too understanding. And I wasn't able to see his attraction to Alex early in their relationship. Alex's attraction to Sage, oh yes, I could totally see that, absolutely. But Sage's attraction to Alex? I didn't feel the spark. After they fell in love, yes, there were sparks all over the place. But initially, wasn't happening for me. I still loved the book, but I did take a star away because of this flaw.
If you love a great M/M romance and can handle the heavy physical, emotional, psychological, verbal and sexual abuse on the protagonist, I can highly recommend Saving Alexander. The HEA in the last chapter makes every nasty experience read so worth every heartbreaking moment. It was delightful and I'm actually smiling as I write this.
Alex Montgomery truly was an incredibly damaged soul, physically and emotionally ruined by the sadistic leader of a supremacist cult. He really does win the "damaged" prize. I tried to think of a character in recent memory that came close to him in the angst department from my list of M/M romance books, and the closest I got was Kevin from Reclaiming Love, Sean from A Beautiful Disaster, Lee from The Island and poor, tormented Jaime from Between Sinners and Saints. He matched all of them and even surpassed a few. Alex has seen the devil and lived to tell the tale.
Enter all-around perfect male hero Christopher Sage. Handsome, hard working, talented actor who had a wonderful upbringing and a happy, stable family life. His parents die in a plane crash when he was 19 but instead of wallowing in misery, he reflects on the 19 glorious years he had with them and grows a fantastic familial bond with his father's best friend and Godfather, Miles, who he considers his second father. Look up "Every straight girl and gay man's perfect mate" in the dictionary and you'll see Sage's picture.
This is a romance wrapped in an intriguing mystery. Alex is an author who has written a series of books that is now a TV series Sage is starring in. Someone is taking scenes from the series and recreating them in real life, causing people to get hurt. The added suspense was a nice shot in the arm and kept me on my toes throughout the book. I literally couldn't put this down! Loved that added bonus.
OK, despite all the perfection of Saving Alexander there was one flaw I was not able to overlook. And I gave myself a day to think about it before I wrote my review to make sure I wanted to commit to this opinion. I even read some of the other reviews here to get a feel for what others were saying, to see if anyone else agreed with me. Well, no one did but my opinion didn't change. My problem was Sage. He was too perfect and too understanding. And I wasn't able to see his attraction to Alex early in their relationship. Alex's attraction to Sage, oh yes, I could totally see that, absolutely. But Sage's attraction to Alex? I didn't feel the spark. After they fell in love, yes, there were sparks all over the place. But initially, wasn't happening for me. I still loved the book, but I did take a star away because of this flaw.
If you love a great M/M romance and can handle the heavy physical, emotional, psychological, verbal and sexual abuse on the protagonist, I can highly recommend Saving Alexander. The HEA in the last chapter makes every nasty experience read so worth every heartbreaking moment. It was delightful and I'm actually smiling as I write this.
November 20, 2013
I am so so sad to be writing a negative review for this book as I was looking forward to reading it and Susan Mac Nicole is such a lovely person. I would hate to cause any bad feelings but sadly it just wasn't for me.
I just felt that the crime plot line wasn't strong enough in the book. I would have loved to have more dotted throughout.
The whole aspect of Alex needing to rid his demons through extreme BDSM didn't seem realistic as he seemed to overcome the need for punishment too quickly.
Sage was placed in a difficult situation of having to see Alex go through the pain yet he knew what he was getting involved in at the start of their relationship. However it caused many arguments which were forgiven and forgotten about quickly and yet they still occurred time and time again.
I know I am in the minority where this book is concerned. So please don't let my review stop you.
I wish Susan every success with her books and if you read it I hope you enjoy it :)
I just felt that the crime plot line wasn't strong enough in the book. I would have loved to have more dotted throughout.
The whole aspect of Alex needing to rid his demons through extreme BDSM didn't seem realistic as he seemed to overcome the need for punishment too quickly.
Sage was placed in a difficult situation of having to see Alex go through the pain yet he knew what he was getting involved in at the start of their relationship. However it caused many arguments which were forgiven and forgotten about quickly and yet they still occurred time and time again.
I know I am in the minority where this book is concerned. So please don't let my review stop you.
I wish Susan every success with her books and if you read it I hope you enjoy it :)
October 16, 2013
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love.
Alex is a damaged soul. His past has left him scarred in many ways, and in order to cope with that, as well as to somewhat self-punish, he pays for extreme S&M sessions, though he has strict guidelines about what can and cannot happen during them. He has been seeing the same dom, Eric, for about two years. This is the main reason Alex does not believe he will ever be able to be relationship material. How can he possibly ask someone to have a relationship with him when he needs to see Eric on a regular basis?
Then, when Alex’s book is ready to become a TV series, he meets Sage, the actor on which Alex has actually based the book’s main character. They immediately hit it off, but Alex keeps Sage somewhat at a distance until Sage sees evidence of Alex’ other activities and slowly everything comes to light. Poor Alex was fighting his attraction to Sage afraid of it colliding with his other secret life. Despite the mixed signals, Sage didn’t give up.
I was really glad that I didn’t have to wait very long to find out about Alex’ past. While it isn’t all told at once, there is enough for you to understand and really feel for Alex and his issues, and the rest of the details are spaced throughout the story.
Sage is wonderful, and even after finding out about Alex’ issues, decides he wants to be with him. He works hard to be understanding on what Alex has gone through and his continual need for such drastic therapy. It isn’t easy for him to share Alex with Eric, even after Alex changes the sessions by eliminating first the harsh treatment and then actual sex. Alex is trying, little by little, to wean himself off his need for the S&M. Unfortunately, Eric doesn’t take that so well, as it seems he has gotten quite attached to Alex and their sessions. You get the idea early on that Eric will be a problem, and he is not a nice guy really at any point.
There is a bit of mystery going on when things start happening to other cast members, all seeming to be taking plays from Alex’s book, adding another level of interesting. Alex and Sage are wonderful together, and I really didn’t want to put this story down. I loved watching Sage help Alex through his recovery, even though he has a long way to go. This well-written story had many elements that hit my buttons, and with this being the second book I’ve read by Ms. Mac Nicol, she has quickly been moved to my auto read list.
December 16, 2013
I enjoyed this book with only a few minor issues.
What I did appreciate, and so often don't see in books where there is some sort of BDSM as therapy/healing storyline, is that Alex is actually seeing a therapist to work on his issues and she is aware of his sessions and talks about them as part of her counselling.
As far as Alex and Sage, I enjoyed them as a couple, but sometimes felt Sage was just too perfect. Considering the way his prior relationships ended, I found it hard to believe that he could be so accepting of Alex and Eric's sessions.
The mystery aspect of the book was well paced and kept me interested. It was an overall an entertaining read and I look forward to reading more from Susan MacNicol in the future.
What I did appreciate, and so often don't see in books where there is some sort of BDSM as therapy/healing storyline, is that Alex is actually seeing a therapist to work on his issues and she is aware of his sessions and talks about them as part of her counselling.
As far as Alex and Sage, I enjoyed them as a couple, but sometimes felt Sage was just too perfect. Considering the way his prior relationships ended, I found it hard to believe that he could be so accepting of Alex and Eric's sessions.
The mystery aspect of the book was well paced and kept me interested. It was an overall an entertaining read and I look forward to reading more from Susan MacNicol in the future.
October 29, 2013
Gitte: I knew after reading ‘Stripped Bare’ by this Author that she was something special and was going to end up as a one-click for me in the m/m genre. So I was not surprised that I ended up loving ‘Saving Alexander’ just as much. The writing, the characters, the story, well this book was un-put-down-able, I absolutely loved it. It was so beautiful, emotional, passionate and suspenseful. It had me in floods of tears but it also made me laugh. ‘Saving Alexander’ was extremely well written and the depth of the characters and the storyline, well it was spot on in my opinion.
The journey our characters went on, past and present, their strength and the size of their hearts, well it pretty much did me in. It was quite horrific at times and I had to stop reading once or twice because my heart was breaking. But overall, this is such a beautiful heart-felt love story. You felt the same didn’t you Jenny?
“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”
Jenny: I certainly did G…and then some. I went into Saving Alexander with anticipated excitement following your enthusiasm for this authors previous work and I have to say I was not disappointed. In fact, if anything, my expectations were exceeded because this book gripped me from the first chapter and kept me there completely enthralled until the end. I couldn’t put it down, reading well into the night and I have been thinking about it non stop since finishing it. Such was the impact the story and the characters had on me. The writing was flawless, the story was heartbreaking , evocative, passionate, sad and extremely beautiful and this author really does possess a talent for painting a picture for the reader with her words.
“Do you really want to hear all the sordid details of my little life? Remember, sometimes you get what you ask for.” – Alex
“Yes, I want to hear.” Sage
I “felt” every single moment of the friendship, torment, loss, love ,pain and the complexities of healing such deep emotional scars. I shared every feeling with Sage and Alex and I was there with them for each and every moment. Sage and Alex, two characters whom I will never forget.
Gitte: So we meet Alex, a famous and successful Author who comes across all mysterious, composed and polished. This façade hides a broken and damaged man who’s had an absolute tragic and horrifying life. Alex strives for normality and struggles with any type of relationship. He’s trying to overcome his past the best way he can through therapy and a man named Eric.
‘If he let the memories in he’d go crazy.’
Eric terrified me on so many occasions, hurting and forcing our lonely Alex beyond what this gorgeous, funny, sweet and passionate man deserved or truly needed. Alex’s past still very much lives in his present and despite harbouring feelings for a man who was the inspiration for his famous book character, he feels completely unworthy and knows his ‘relationship’ with Eric will always be the breaking point.
‘He was simply a paying customer with a set of rules that his “Principal”, Eric, would enforce..’
Alex hides his past well from everyone, no one knows where he came from and who he truly is. Seriously this man had my heart in his hands and I fell in such love with him.
‘I’m a fucked up human being and I’ll never be normal….”
He sure was something special wasn’t he Jenny, those eyes…sigh…?!
Jenny: Oh Gitte, I loved both these men for so many reasons. Tortured, beautiful self-deprecating Alex who had such a horrendous and painful past and who still relives it daily and whose method of coping tore at me. This man had built up walls and his misdirected self loathing broke my heart.
“I just want to be normal.” – Alex
Alex, a man who had to overcome such adversity was both brave and inspiring. The unraveling of Alex’s story was painful to read and had me in tears, I had to take stop and take breaths a couple of times before reading on. His recounting of his story undid me, I felt every intense and moving moment of his despondency and I cried with him and for him.
“Please don’t give up on me”. – Alex
This author enabled me to experience every ounce of the desolation and despair felt by Alex as he fought the internal battle within himself and I cherished every ounce of the love and devotion offered to him by Sage. Don’t even get me started on Eric. I despised that man with every fibre of my being. He disgusted me.
Gitte: Then we have Sage, the gorgeous and sexy actor who’s loved and lusted after by many, gay or straight. This guy can charm the pants of the most reluctant admirer, no question. Sage is funny and kind, sweet and sexy. His heart is huge and when he falls he really falls. He pushes past even the hardest relationship boundary despite being a man who’s been hurt in the past and who’s not exactly had an easy life either, suffering a great loss as a teenager.
Sage gets the role in the upcoming TV adaptation of Alex’s books. Upon meeting Alex in person our Sage is immediately attracted and found wanting the creator of his TV character.
‘What is it about this man that brought out the man-slut in him?’
The chemistry and attraction between Alex and Gage is so intense and beautiful. I felt it and I completely understood and believed it. They were well and truly soul mates, giving each other themselves fully and completely.
“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….” – Alex
When Alex gets the guts to let Sage into his past I broke down. This man showed such trust and Sage’s reaction, well…I had tears. The tenderness and love, the compassion and understanding. It blew me away.
“You make me feel whole again….You’re my saviour.”
‘Saving Alexander’ has everything you could wish for. It’s a dangerous read emotionally as you’re taken on a scary and passionate ride where you meet some pretty beautiful and special characters and see just exactly what love is capable of conquering!
I never wanted to call ‘Chrysippus’ nor did I want to call ‘Tallulah’. LOVED this story…LOVE this Author!
Jenny: Blushing, sexy, stoic Sage with the cheeky persona who wore his heart on his sleeve….. I absolutely adored him. What a perfect ally this man was for Alex. This man would suppress his own feelings and hurt for the betterment of Alex. Where Alex saw weakness and loathing in himself, Sage saw strength and beauty. These two men complimented each other and they both completely stole my heart.
“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….” – Sage
The passion, the heat, the love, the pain and the connection between these men was spine tingling and I wholeheartedly agree Gitte that Saving Alexander was everything I had hoped for and more…much, much more. My heart was in my mouth at times as I anticipated moments I knew would crush me and the moments of suspense had my stomach in knots.
This intense, passionate, moving, sexy, and deeply emotive story is one that will stay with me. Like you G, this author has definitely earned a place on my 1Click list! Are there enough superlatives for this book? Let me try….Outstanding, magnificent, suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful…..superb. A definite must add for those TBR’s.
“I think I just want to hold you close and go to sleep and forget all this craziness for a while.”
ARC supplied by author in exchange for an honest review
November 12, 2013
It feels a little strange to be saying how much I loved a book about a man punishing himself for the sins of others but I so much enjoyed this story! Susan Mac Nicol tells a wonderful tale as she pairs a very broken man with the one man who can deliver him a future.
It was heartbreaking to read of Alexander's torment, of his traumatic past and the way he viewed himself due to the actions of others."I'm so scared I'll never be able to have a proper relationship, that I'll always be on my own because no one wants damaged goods." As well as seeing a professional psychologist, he chooses to punish himself physically during regular S&M sessions with Eric. These 'therapy' sessions are violent and savage and provide a direct contrast to the physical relationship that Alex shares with Sage.
Sage is gorgeous. He is also caring and very compassionate. He is so accepting of Alex's situation, seeing the man behind the emotional and physical scars. He does make the perfect saviour.
Jealousy does play a role in the story as Sage battles with Alex's dependency on Eric and there are ramifications as a result of Alex's changing needs.
The plot is unique with the romance between Alex and Sage paralleling Alex's involvement with Eric, while events occur putting lives at risk, all set against a backdrop of a TV series film set.
From my heartbreak for Alex, my pure hatred of Eric and my admiration and respect for Sage, this was an emotional journey. Highly recommended!
Do check out the book trailer!
Saving Alexander book trailer
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
It was heartbreaking to read of Alexander's torment, of his traumatic past and the way he viewed himself due to the actions of others."I'm so scared I'll never be able to have a proper relationship, that I'll always be on my own because no one wants damaged goods." As well as seeing a professional psychologist, he chooses to punish himself physically during regular S&M sessions with Eric. These 'therapy' sessions are violent and savage and provide a direct contrast to the physical relationship that Alex shares with Sage.
Sage is gorgeous. He is also caring and very compassionate. He is so accepting of Alex's situation, seeing the man behind the emotional and physical scars. He does make the perfect saviour.
Jealousy does play a role in the story as Sage battles with Alex's dependency on Eric and there are ramifications as a result of Alex's changing needs.
The plot is unique with the romance between Alex and Sage paralleling Alex's involvement with Eric, while events occur putting lives at risk, all set against a backdrop of a TV series film set.
From my heartbreak for Alex, my pure hatred of Eric and my admiration and respect for Sage, this was an emotional journey. Highly recommended!
Do check out the book trailer!
Saving Alexander book trailer
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
October 29, 2013
Jointly Reviewed on: http://totallybookedblog.com/2013/10/...
Gitte and Jenny: 5 truly outstanding stars!
Gitte: I knew after reading ‘Stripped Bare’ by this Author that she was something special and was going to end up as a one-click for me in the m/m genre. So I was not surprised that I ended up loving ‘Saving Alexander’ just as much. The writing, the characters, the story, well this book was un-put-down-able, I absolutely loved it. It was so beautiful, emotional, passionate and suspenseful. It had me in floods of tears but it also made me laugh. ‘Saving Alexander’ was extremely well written and the depth of the characters and the storyline, well it was spot on in my opinion.
The journey our characters went on, past and present, their strength and the size of their hearts, well it pretty much did me in. It was quite horrific at times and I had to stop reading once or twice because my heart was breaking. But overall, this is such a beautiful heart-felt love story. You felt the same didn’t you Jenny?
“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”
Jenny: I certainly did G…and then some. I went into Saving Alexander with anticipated excitement following your enthusiasm for this authors previous work and I have to say I was not disappointed. In fact, if anything, my expectations were exceeded because this book gripped me from the first chapter and kept me there completely enthralled until the end. I couldn’t put it down, reading well into the night and I have been thinking about it non stop since finishing it. Such was the impact the story and the characters had on me. The writing was flawless, the story was heartbreaking , evocative, passionate, sad and extremely beautiful and this author really does possess a talent for painting a picture for the reader with her words.
“Do you really want to hear all the sordid details of my little life? Remember, sometimes you get what you ask for.” – Alex
“Yes, I want to hear.” Sage
I “felt” every single moment of the friendship, torment, loss, love ,pain and the complexities of healing such deep emotional scars. I shared every feeling with Sage and Alex and I was there with them for each and every moment. Sage and Alex, two characters whom I will never forget.
Gitte: So we meet Alex, a famous and successful Author who comes across all mysterious, composed and polished. This façade hides a broken and damaged man who’s had an absolute tragic and horrifying life. Alex strives for normality and struggles with any type of relationship. He’s trying to overcome his past the best way he can through therapy and a man named Eric.
‘If he let the memories in he’d go crazy.’
Eric terrified me on so many occasions, hurting and forcing our lonely Alex beyond what this gorgeous, funny, sweet and passionate man deserved or truly needed. Alex’s past still very much lives in his present and despite harbouring feelings for a man who was the inspiration for his famous book character, he feels completely unworthy and knows his ‘relationship’ with Eric will always be the breaking point.
‘He was simply a paying customer with a set of rules that his “Principal”, Eric, would enforce..’
Alex hides his past well from everyone, no one knows where he came from and who he truly is. Seriously this man had my heart in his hands and I fell in such love with him.
‘I’m a fucked up human being and I’ll never be normal….”
He sure was something special wasn’t he Jenny, those eyes…sigh…?!
Jenny: Oh Gitte, I loved both these men for so many reasons. Tortured, beautiful self-deprecating Alex who had such a horrendous and painful past and who still relives it daily and whose method of coping tore at me. This man had built up walls and his misdirected self loathing broke my heart.
“I just want to be normal.” – Alex
Alex, a man who had to overcome such adversity was both brave and inspiring. The unraveling of Alex’s story was painful to read and had me in tears, I had to take stop and take breaths a couple of times before reading on. His recounting of his story undid me, I felt every intense and moving moment of his despondency and I cried with him and for him.
“Please don’t give up on me”. – Alex
This author enabled me to experience every ounce of the desolation and despair felt by Alex as he fought the internal battle within himself and I cherished every ounce of the love and devotion offered to him by Sage. Don’t even get me started on Eric. I despised that man with every fibre of my being. He disgusted me.
Gitte: Then we have Sage, the gorgeous and sexy actor who’s loved and lusted after by many, gay or straight. This guy can charm the pants of the most reluctant admirer, no question. Sage is funny and kind, sweet and sexy. His heart is huge and when he falls he really falls. He pushes past even the hardest relationship boundary despite being a man who’s been hurt in the past and who’s not exactly had an easy life either, suffering a great loss as a teenager.
Sage gets the role in the upcoming TV adaptation of Alex’s books. Upon meeting Alex in person our Sage is immediately attracted and found wanting the creator of his TV character.
‘What is it about this man that brought out the man-slut in him?’
The chemistry and attraction between Alex and Gage is so intense and beautiful. I felt it and I completely understood and believed it. They were well and truly soul mates, giving each other themselves fully and completely.
“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….” – Alex
When Alex gets the guts to let Sage into his past I broke down. This man showed such trust and Sage’s reaction, well…I had tears. The tenderness and love, the compassion and understanding. It blew me away.
“You make me feel whole again….You’re my saviour.”
‘Saving Alexander’ has everything you could wish for. It’s a dangerous read emotionally as you’re taken on a scary and passionate ride where you meet some pretty beautiful and special characters and see just exactly what love is capable of conquering!
I never wanted to call ‘Chrysippus’ nor did I want to call ‘Tallulah’. LOVED this story…LOVE this Author!
Jenny: Blushing, sexy, stoic Sage with the cheeky persona who wore his heart on his sleeve….. I absolutely adored him. What a perfect ally this man was for Alex. This man would suppress his own feelings and hurt for the betterment of Alex. Where Alex saw weakness and loathing in himself, Sage saw strength and beauty. These two men complimented each other and they both completely stole my heart.
“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….” – Sage
The passion, the heat, the love, the pain and the connection between these men was spine tingling and I wholeheartedly agree Gitte that Saving Alexander was everything I had hoped for and more…much, much more. My heart was in my mouth at times as I anticipated moments I knew would crush me and the moments of suspense had my stomach in knots.
This intense, passionate, moving, sexy, and deeply emotive story is one that will stay with me. Like you G, this author has definitely earned a place on my 1Click list! Are there enough superlatives for this book? Let me try….Outstanding, magnificent, suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful…..superb. A definite must add for those TBR’s.
“I think I just want to hold you close and go to sleep and forget all this craziness for a while.”
Arc provided for an honest review
Gitte and Jenny: 5 truly outstanding stars!
Gitte: I knew after reading ‘Stripped Bare’ by this Author that she was something special and was going to end up as a one-click for me in the m/m genre. So I was not surprised that I ended up loving ‘Saving Alexander’ just as much. The writing, the characters, the story, well this book was un-put-down-able, I absolutely loved it. It was so beautiful, emotional, passionate and suspenseful. It had me in floods of tears but it also made me laugh. ‘Saving Alexander’ was extremely well written and the depth of the characters and the storyline, well it was spot on in my opinion.
The journey our characters went on, past and present, their strength and the size of their hearts, well it pretty much did me in. It was quite horrific at times and I had to stop reading once or twice because my heart was breaking. But overall, this is such a beautiful heart-felt love story. You felt the same didn’t you Jenny?
“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”
Jenny: I certainly did G…and then some. I went into Saving Alexander with anticipated excitement following your enthusiasm for this authors previous work and I have to say I was not disappointed. In fact, if anything, my expectations were exceeded because this book gripped me from the first chapter and kept me there completely enthralled until the end. I couldn’t put it down, reading well into the night and I have been thinking about it non stop since finishing it. Such was the impact the story and the characters had on me. The writing was flawless, the story was heartbreaking , evocative, passionate, sad and extremely beautiful and this author really does possess a talent for painting a picture for the reader with her words.
“Do you really want to hear all the sordid details of my little life? Remember, sometimes you get what you ask for.” – Alex
“Yes, I want to hear.” Sage
I “felt” every single moment of the friendship, torment, loss, love ,pain and the complexities of healing such deep emotional scars. I shared every feeling with Sage and Alex and I was there with them for each and every moment. Sage and Alex, two characters whom I will never forget.
Gitte: So we meet Alex, a famous and successful Author who comes across all mysterious, composed and polished. This façade hides a broken and damaged man who’s had an absolute tragic and horrifying life. Alex strives for normality and struggles with any type of relationship. He’s trying to overcome his past the best way he can through therapy and a man named Eric.
‘If he let the memories in he’d go crazy.’
Eric terrified me on so many occasions, hurting and forcing our lonely Alex beyond what this gorgeous, funny, sweet and passionate man deserved or truly needed. Alex’s past still very much lives in his present and despite harbouring feelings for a man who was the inspiration for his famous book character, he feels completely unworthy and knows his ‘relationship’ with Eric will always be the breaking point.
‘He was simply a paying customer with a set of rules that his “Principal”, Eric, would enforce..’
Alex hides his past well from everyone, no one knows where he came from and who he truly is. Seriously this man had my heart in his hands and I fell in such love with him.
‘I’m a fucked up human being and I’ll never be normal….”
He sure was something special wasn’t he Jenny, those eyes…sigh…?!
Jenny: Oh Gitte, I loved both these men for so many reasons. Tortured, beautiful self-deprecating Alex who had such a horrendous and painful past and who still relives it daily and whose method of coping tore at me. This man had built up walls and his misdirected self loathing broke my heart.
“I just want to be normal.” – Alex
Alex, a man who had to overcome such adversity was both brave and inspiring. The unraveling of Alex’s story was painful to read and had me in tears, I had to take stop and take breaths a couple of times before reading on. His recounting of his story undid me, I felt every intense and moving moment of his despondency and I cried with him and for him.
“Please don’t give up on me”. – Alex
This author enabled me to experience every ounce of the desolation and despair felt by Alex as he fought the internal battle within himself and I cherished every ounce of the love and devotion offered to him by Sage. Don’t even get me started on Eric. I despised that man with every fibre of my being. He disgusted me.
Gitte: Then we have Sage, the gorgeous and sexy actor who’s loved and lusted after by many, gay or straight. This guy can charm the pants of the most reluctant admirer, no question. Sage is funny and kind, sweet and sexy. His heart is huge and when he falls he really falls. He pushes past even the hardest relationship boundary despite being a man who’s been hurt in the past and who’s not exactly had an easy life either, suffering a great loss as a teenager.
Sage gets the role in the upcoming TV adaptation of Alex’s books. Upon meeting Alex in person our Sage is immediately attracted and found wanting the creator of his TV character.
‘What is it about this man that brought out the man-slut in him?’
The chemistry and attraction between Alex and Gage is so intense and beautiful. I felt it and I completely understood and believed it. They were well and truly soul mates, giving each other themselves fully and completely.
“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….” – Alex
When Alex gets the guts to let Sage into his past I broke down. This man showed such trust and Sage’s reaction, well…I had tears. The tenderness and love, the compassion and understanding. It blew me away.
“You make me feel whole again….You’re my saviour.”
‘Saving Alexander’ has everything you could wish for. It’s a dangerous read emotionally as you’re taken on a scary and passionate ride where you meet some pretty beautiful and special characters and see just exactly what love is capable of conquering!
I never wanted to call ‘Chrysippus’ nor did I want to call ‘Tallulah’. LOVED this story…LOVE this Author!
Jenny: Blushing, sexy, stoic Sage with the cheeky persona who wore his heart on his sleeve….. I absolutely adored him. What a perfect ally this man was for Alex. This man would suppress his own feelings and hurt for the betterment of Alex. Where Alex saw weakness and loathing in himself, Sage saw strength and beauty. These two men complimented each other and they both completely stole my heart.
“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….” – Sage
The passion, the heat, the love, the pain and the connection between these men was spine tingling and I wholeheartedly agree Gitte that Saving Alexander was everything I had hoped for and more…much, much more. My heart was in my mouth at times as I anticipated moments I knew would crush me and the moments of suspense had my stomach in knots.
This intense, passionate, moving, sexy, and deeply emotive story is one that will stay with me. Like you G, this author has definitely earned a place on my 1Click list! Are there enough superlatives for this book? Let me try….Outstanding, magnificent, suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful…..superb. A definite must add for those TBR’s.
“I think I just want to hold you close and go to sleep and forget all this craziness for a while.”
Arc provided for an honest review
November 28, 2013
3,5 stars.
Alex, a famous writer, needs to be saved from his past, from his pain and from himself. You feel how deeply he is hurting and how desperate he is to make it stop. He thinks he has to remedy his life through the beatings he receives at the hands of a sadist.
Sage is an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm. His life is near opposite of Alex. He is awesome for trying his best to be with Alex despite the complications that comes along with that.
Alex believes that no man will accept his needs and still want a relationship with him, so he is unprepared when Sage chooses him. Suddenly someone is trying to hurt their friends. The mystery could be connected to Alex's past…
Saving Alexander has all the elements I like in a m/m romance. The MCs and the supporting characters likeable (at least most of them), the mystery, the angst, and the steam are well written. This is not an easy book, though. It's painful to read how hard this relationship is for both of the guys. Overall I enjoyed the book. I look forward to reading more from the author.
November 28, 2013
This was disappointing. I was expecting this to be a dark and angsty read, but I found it cheesy and melodramatic to the point that instead of two men I kept picturing a heterosexual teenage couple.
The suspense was too contrived and predictable to be effective and the BDSM and therapy sessions left a bad taste in my mouth.
I had no connection to the characters, and mostly saw them as whiny and immature for their ages and experiences. I was supposed to feel empathy for Alex for all the things he'd been through, but all I could muster was indifference and some eye-rolling.
I got tired of guys pouring out their feelings every chance they got, cliched overreactions, plot inconsistencies, and over the top drama. It was definitely not the book for me.
The suspense was too contrived and predictable to be effective and the BDSM and therapy sessions left a bad taste in my mouth.
I had no connection to the characters, and mostly saw them as whiny and immature for their ages and experiences. I was supposed to feel empathy for Alex for all the things he'd been through, but all I could muster was indifference and some eye-rolling.
I got tired of guys pouring out their feelings every chance they got, cliched overreactions, plot inconsistencies, and over the top drama. It was definitely not the book for me.
March 1, 2014
A senseless tragedy and a beautiful love story.
Alex has a horrific past that nearly destroyed him, and it is the reason he is purposely ruining any chance for a normal life and relationship. The abuse he suffered and those who hurt him are long gone, but they left a lasting impression that he can't seem to get past. Now he voluntarily seeks "therapy" in an S & M club...where the rules he provides are non-negotiable, and he is left bruised and bloody. He needs the pain to take away his pain.
Sage is an up and coming actor who is loved by everyone. He had a great childhood and adoring parents. Sadly he lost them when he was 19 years old, but his memories of them are fond and have shaped him into the kind and loving man that he is today. His life is near opposite of Alex.
Alex is a famous writer and he specifically chose Sage as the lead in the TV series based on his novel. The attraction is immediate, but Alex, no matter how much he wishes to be different, does not believe he is relationship material, and turns Sage away.
Sage tries everything to garner his attention, but Alex spurns him at every corner. Almost to the point of being nasty. But then Alex will turn around and show his attraction to Sage, thus driving Sage crazy with all the mixed signals.
His attraction to Sage is causing havoc with Alex. He turns to Eric, his S & M "therapist", for added, extra harsh sessions. This is the catalyst for Sage and Alex getting together. Sage notices the cuts and bruising on Alex's back (while he was asleep at his desk and his shirt rose up)and confronts him. Demanding to know who hurt him so. Alex, in a rare moment of honesty, tells him the brutal truth...he does it to himself because he was....(nope, can't tell you why, you gotta read it). Needless to say, Sage is floored.
Alex believes that no man will accept his form of therapy and still want a relationship with him, so he is unprepared when Sage chooses him anyway. I told you Sage was great, didn't I? Sage is an absolute saint...most of the time. He may not like Alex's S & M sessions with Eric, but he understands that Alex is trying to get better and needs to take it one step at a time.
Sadly, Eric has an agenda of his own. He is not ready for Alex to get better. He is not ready for the sessions to end and hurts Alex and Sage in a way that could destroy their fragile relationship. Needless to say, it gets pretty bad, and you feel awful for both of them. Eric is a creep.
In addition to the love brewing between Sage and Alex, there is also a mystery. Someone is trying to hurt the cast and their family members. The mystery could be connected to Alex's past...and it is...and in a way that I didn't guess, but I should have. :-)
The conclusion of this sad, but loving story was so beautiful. Seeing Alex living a normal life, and in a loving relationship with Sage, made all the horrible things Alex suffered go away. Alex is a fighter and with Sage by his side he wins the biggest fight of his life.
Reviewed for www.heartsonfirereviews.com
Alex has a horrific past that nearly destroyed him, and it is the reason he is purposely ruining any chance for a normal life and relationship. The abuse he suffered and those who hurt him are long gone, but they left a lasting impression that he can't seem to get past. Now he voluntarily seeks "therapy" in an S & M club...where the rules he provides are non-negotiable, and he is left bruised and bloody. He needs the pain to take away his pain.
Sage is an up and coming actor who is loved by everyone. He had a great childhood and adoring parents. Sadly he lost them when he was 19 years old, but his memories of them are fond and have shaped him into the kind and loving man that he is today. His life is near opposite of Alex.
Alex is a famous writer and he specifically chose Sage as the lead in the TV series based on his novel. The attraction is immediate, but Alex, no matter how much he wishes to be different, does not believe he is relationship material, and turns Sage away.
Sage tries everything to garner his attention, but Alex spurns him at every corner. Almost to the point of being nasty. But then Alex will turn around and show his attraction to Sage, thus driving Sage crazy with all the mixed signals.
His attraction to Sage is causing havoc with Alex. He turns to Eric, his S & M "therapist", for added, extra harsh sessions. This is the catalyst for Sage and Alex getting together. Sage notices the cuts and bruising on Alex's back (while he was asleep at his desk and his shirt rose up)and confronts him. Demanding to know who hurt him so. Alex, in a rare moment of honesty, tells him the brutal truth...he does it to himself because he was....(nope, can't tell you why, you gotta read it). Needless to say, Sage is floored.
Alex believes that no man will accept his form of therapy and still want a relationship with him, so he is unprepared when Sage chooses him anyway. I told you Sage was great, didn't I? Sage is an absolute saint...most of the time. He may not like Alex's S & M sessions with Eric, but he understands that Alex is trying to get better and needs to take it one step at a time.
Sadly, Eric has an agenda of his own. He is not ready for Alex to get better. He is not ready for the sessions to end and hurts Alex and Sage in a way that could destroy their fragile relationship. Needless to say, it gets pretty bad, and you feel awful for both of them. Eric is a creep.
In addition to the love brewing between Sage and Alex, there is also a mystery. Someone is trying to hurt the cast and their family members. The mystery could be connected to Alex's past...and it is...and in a way that I didn't guess, but I should have. :-)
The conclusion of this sad, but loving story was so beautiful. Seeing Alex living a normal life, and in a loving relationship with Sage, made all the horrible things Alex suffered go away. Alex is a fighter and with Sage by his side he wins the biggest fight of his life.
Reviewed for www.heartsonfirereviews.com
October 29, 2013
Full review posted on my blog today
http://foxylutely.blogspot.com/2013/1...
I actually hugged my kindle after I had finished reading this book as the love I felt for Alex and Sage was immense. How glorious to see a beautiful relationship evolve from such a deep and disturbing past that Alex had lived through. The book takes you through a whole plethora of emotions and although at times some of the imagery that was described was a little uncomfortable to read it was a necessity to the storyline. What Alex had gone through in his life was a total tragedy and the way he was developed was a beauty to read.
Alex had been through a traumatic early life at the hands of a cult leader but the ramifications of that time was embedded deep within his soul that even after ten years of therapy it was still an ever present constraint on his life. He seeks solace in his writing and from this after seeing Sage in his early acting roles, he writes a book which he created using Sage as the leading character. When the book is bought as a TV series, Alex puts in a word with the producers to have Sage audition for the part. They both meet when Sage signs up to play the leading role.
Sage is an absolute darling and I love his relationship with his godfather Miles and the life they have in the country. The scenes with Sage and his best friend Dan had me in stitches, especially with their drunken escapades. However, the best of course was the development and chemistry oozing off the page with Alex and Sage. The sexual tension when they first get together made me sit up and beg for more – and more is what the reader is given, a complete roster of erotic encounters. Rawr! However for me it was the acceptance and support that Sage showed to Alex, especially with the reliance of the services of Eric. Some of the imagery that prevailed with those sessions had me on edge as it was not within a loving S & M relationship but something entirely different for Eric. That finally scene had me growling and my hands twitching to grab and twist Eric’s neck. Grrr.
I also loved the mystery element within this book and especially the link in to the plot of Alex’s book which had me double guessing who was involved and why. When this was revealed it totally outwitted me (and I'm usually an ace at knowing the villain). It was exceptionally well written with the twists of the plotline drawing in the past with the present and the impacts on Alex and Sage.
This was a beautifully written storyline that had me from the first line and kept me enthralled throughout. A story of something wonderful being born from overcoming the darkness of the past. The ultimate in love outwitting the evils of life, a love that became the saviour. Saving Alexander will be a book that I will always treasure.
http://foxylutely.blogspot.com/2013/1...
I actually hugged my kindle after I had finished reading this book as the love I felt for Alex and Sage was immense. How glorious to see a beautiful relationship evolve from such a deep and disturbing past that Alex had lived through. The book takes you through a whole plethora of emotions and although at times some of the imagery that was described was a little uncomfortable to read it was a necessity to the storyline. What Alex had gone through in his life was a total tragedy and the way he was developed was a beauty to read.
Alex had been through a traumatic early life at the hands of a cult leader but the ramifications of that time was embedded deep within his soul that even after ten years of therapy it was still an ever present constraint on his life. He seeks solace in his writing and from this after seeing Sage in his early acting roles, he writes a book which he created using Sage as the leading character. When the book is bought as a TV series, Alex puts in a word with the producers to have Sage audition for the part. They both meet when Sage signs up to play the leading role.
Sage is an absolute darling and I love his relationship with his godfather Miles and the life they have in the country. The scenes with Sage and his best friend Dan had me in stitches, especially with their drunken escapades. However, the best of course was the development and chemistry oozing off the page with Alex and Sage. The sexual tension when they first get together made me sit up and beg for more – and more is what the reader is given, a complete roster of erotic encounters. Rawr! However for me it was the acceptance and support that Sage showed to Alex, especially with the reliance of the services of Eric. Some of the imagery that prevailed with those sessions had me on edge as it was not within a loving S & M relationship but something entirely different for Eric. That finally scene had me growling and my hands twitching to grab and twist Eric’s neck. Grrr.
I also loved the mystery element within this book and especially the link in to the plot of Alex’s book which had me double guessing who was involved and why. When this was revealed it totally outwitted me (and I'm usually an ace at knowing the villain). It was exceptionally well written with the twists of the plotline drawing in the past with the present and the impacts on Alex and Sage.
This was a beautifully written storyline that had me from the first line and kept me enthralled throughout. A story of something wonderful being born from overcoming the darkness of the past. The ultimate in love outwitting the evils of life, a love that became the saviour. Saving Alexander will be a book that I will always treasure.
November 7, 2017
This was a very angst-filled, hurt-comfort book featuring an upcoming and coming writer Alexander Montgomery who has turned to S&M to deal with the painful and abuse-filled past. When his series was optioned for a tv show, Alex finds himself infatuated with the lead actor Christopher Sage. I had a harder time decrypting the source of Alex’s agony than I had figuring out the bad guys in this book. But it was so uncomfortable because I wasn’t sure Alex really wanted to live because of the extreme amount of pain he was intentional enduring.
I was so happy that Sage became a source of comfort but I don’t accept Sage’s “black Irish” moods as an excuse for some of his callous behavior and comments concerning the S&M. It was mean and it didn’t show patience after Alex had asked for some time. I just wished that maybe they had sought to see Melanie, Alex’s therapist together to help them navigate this uncharted territory. Melanie was the unsung hero in this novel to me because of her dedication and persistence with helping Alex. Other secondary characters were important too and I enjoyed their inclusion in this couple’s journey.
I like that author tackled such an emotionally heavy subject but this story was painful to read. I was rooting for seriously healing and happiness for two people who have been through such tragic pasts but I felt that Sage could have been more understanding than he was to Alex. I liked this book but I didn’t really connect with Alex and Sage as a couple. I did feel more invested in Alex as a survivor. This book is difficult for me to rate because I liked it but didn’t love it.
I was so happy that Sage became a source of comfort but I don’t accept Sage’s “black Irish” moods as an excuse for some of his callous behavior and comments concerning the S&M. It was mean and it didn’t show patience after Alex had asked for some time. I just wished that maybe they had sought to see Melanie, Alex’s therapist together to help them navigate this uncharted territory. Melanie was the unsung hero in this novel to me because of her dedication and persistence with helping Alex. Other secondary characters were important too and I enjoyed their inclusion in this couple’s journey.
I like that author tackled such an emotionally heavy subject but this story was painful to read. I was rooting for seriously healing and happiness for two people who have been through such tragic pasts but I felt that Sage could have been more understanding than he was to Alex. I liked this book but I didn’t really connect with Alex and Sage as a couple. I did feel more invested in Alex as a survivor. This book is difficult for me to rate because I liked it but didn’t love it.
October 31, 2013
3.75 stars (a little better than my usual 3.5 stars rating but not quite 4 stars).
This is the first book I read by this author. I found this story interesting with some nice twists in there. Alex is a writer that has been using S&M as a way to self-punish for something that happened in his past. He doesn't think he will ever be able to be in a "normal" relationship because of how damaged he is. He has been seeing the same "Principal" Eric (he doesn't want to call him Dom or Master) for two years but he sees their relationship as pure business, a way to assuage his demons when his feelings of guilt and regret get to be too overwhelming. At the same time he has written this romance book series with an actor in mind. When the actor gets selected to become the lead in the series TV adaptation Alex finally gets the chance to meet his crush Sage. When Sage and Alex meet they are attracted to each other but Alex doesn't think they can have a normal relationship since he is messed up and still has the need to see Eric. This is also hard to deal with for Sage as he has a history of cheating boyfriends. There is also a mystery element as accidents start happening related to the filming of the series that involve people close to Sage and Alexander.
OK, so the romance element was fairly OK for me. The mystery had a couple of nice twists that made it interesting IMO. So what didn't I like about this book? A couple of really just technical things. First, the book is supposed to be told in 3rd person POV. But then you find some sentences told in 1st person POV that just confused me. Where these thoughts by the character and if so why aren't they formatted differently to treat them as such. Or are they a switch in POV? Second, this book needed one last proofreading. There are some words missing, extra words, wrong verb used, missing verbs and really minor things that as such took away from my enjoyment of the book.
This is the first book I read by this author. I found this story interesting with some nice twists in there. Alex is a writer that has been using S&M as a way to self-punish for something that happened in his past. He doesn't think he will ever be able to be in a "normal" relationship because of how damaged he is. He has been seeing the same "Principal" Eric (he doesn't want to call him Dom or Master) for two years but he sees their relationship as pure business, a way to assuage his demons when his feelings of guilt and regret get to be too overwhelming. At the same time he has written this romance book series with an actor in mind. When the actor gets selected to become the lead in the series TV adaptation Alex finally gets the chance to meet his crush Sage. When Sage and Alex meet they are attracted to each other but Alex doesn't think they can have a normal relationship since he is messed up and still has the need to see Eric. This is also hard to deal with for Sage as he has a history of cheating boyfriends. There is also a mystery element as accidents start happening related to the filming of the series that involve people close to Sage and Alexander.
OK, so the romance element was fairly OK for me. The mystery had a couple of nice twists that made it interesting IMO. So what didn't I like about this book? A couple of really just technical things. First, the book is supposed to be told in 3rd person POV. But then you find some sentences told in 1st person POV that just confused me. Where these thoughts by the character and if so why aren't they formatted differently to treat them as such. Or are they a switch in POV? Second, this book needed one last proofreading. There are some words missing, extra words, wrong verb used, missing verbs and really minor things that as such took away from my enjoyment of the book.
November 14, 2013
I think there needs to be a new genre - the m/m romantic romance. Somehow some books need to get a warning label for cheesy. I've stumbled over a few now with really a lot of glowing reviews and every time I felt like I bought a massproduced dime novel. This one wasn't the worst I've read in the last few months but it has it's huge amount of corny moments.
Let's say it this way - if you like very emotional guys talking too much like girls and so on, you might like this one, it actually has a story and some "mystery/crime". Some parts are not logical but if you want the tortured hero saved by the golden boy (who really is a nice guy, he's just talking too much like a girl), just overlook them (like how can someone be bound to a St. Andrew's cross and be beaten on the front and the back at the same time?)
The sex didn't do a thing for me either, it sounded like I've all have read it before. Actually, if you exchanged Alex with a woman...it wouldn't have made any difference to the book. Probably that's my problem with it.
It wasn't the right book for me. Sorry.
Let's say it this way - if you like very emotional guys talking too much like girls and so on, you might like this one, it actually has a story and some "mystery/crime". Some parts are not logical but if you want the tortured hero saved by the golden boy (who really is a nice guy, he's just talking too much like a girl), just overlook them (like how can someone be bound to a St. Andrew's cross and be beaten on the front and the back at the same time?)
The sex didn't do a thing for me either, it sounded like I've all have read it before. Actually, if you exchanged Alex with a woman...it wouldn't have made any difference to the book. Probably that's my problem with it.
It wasn't the right book for me. Sorry.
December 12, 2013
It was OK.
One of my pet peeves is over-detail. I don't need to know the shirt was Ralph Lauren, it's just a shirt or a designer shirt, I don't need to know Sage lives in Finchingfield, he lives in a picturesque village in Essex, who cares if he went to Exeter University, University will suffice.
I didn't really understand Alexander's character. I appreciate the trauma he experienced in early life and I appreciate that was the main basis for the plot, but I didn't find him to be a pleasant character, I just couldn't empathise. I found him pathetic.
It was OK.
One of my pet peeves is over-detail. I don't need to know the shirt was Ralph Lauren, it's just a shirt or a designer shirt, I don't need to know Sage lives in Finchingfield, he lives in a picturesque village in Essex, who cares if he went to Exeter University, University will suffice.
I didn't really understand Alexander's character. I appreciate the trauma he experienced in early life and I appreciate that was the main basis for the plot, but I didn't find him to be a pleasant character, I just couldn't empathise. I found him pathetic.
It was OK.
Read
October 30, 2013I may get back to this later :(... For now I am not feeling it!
October 31, 2013
2.5 stars
I need to feel the chemistry wrap itself around the pages, I didnt feel this
I need to feel the chemistry wrap itself around the pages, I didnt feel this
January 28, 2014
Caution: Contains details that may be a spoiler for some.
Alex Montgomery is a highly successful author whose book series is being made into a TV series. When he wrote the story, his inspiration for the MC was Christopher Sage an actor whom Alex finds very sexy. So Alex was pleased when Sage accepted the invitation to audition and even more so when he accepted the role. The two are attracted to each other but Alex holds himself aloof and can’t bear to be touched or approached from behind, so Sage gets tired of trying and finally decides he’s not worth the effort.
The problem is that Alex is really Evan Harding, a young man who was raped, beaten and tortured for eight months by a cult leader before he was finally rescued. He’s had years of therapy and is desperately trying to put the ordeal behind him to try to achieve a normal life. One of his therapeutic methods is to submit to Eric Rossi, a man he hires to whip, flog and spank him, and have sex with him. His psychologist is aware of this and originally encouraged it, but she is now counseling him to begin to move away from that. She’s also very interested in his apparent attraction to Sage and encourages Alex to pursue it.
After working together a while and getting to know one another better, the two men ultimately start a relationship, one for which Alex insists they each have a safe word so that they can walk away at any time. In an effort to put Sage off, Alex had blurted out an abbreviated version of his past, but amazingly it didn’t put Sage off, it brought him closer. Alex is almost afraid to believe that he might be able to have a lasting relationship with someone special and he’s starting to see Eric less and less. Sage hates the fact that Alex is having sex with another man and, though trying to be mostly understanding and patient, occasionally blows up about it.
When Alex is finally ready to let Eric go, he decides not to tell Sage up front, wanting to make it a surprise and to assure himself that he can do it. But something terrible happens that night and Alex uses his safe word to push Sage away. Thankfully, he tells his therapist the truth and eventually he shares the truth with Sage and the two get back together.
In the meantime, there’s a mystery to solve. Someone has been imitating scenes from the stories to set up real life disasters. Sage’s co-star was the victim of a letter bomb and his godfather was the victim of a hit and run, both scenarios from the books. The local detective in charge of the case has a soft spot for Sage, since he reminds him of his deceased son. This man plays a critical role later in the story and it’s quite evident that he’s prejudiced in favor of the MCs.
I was so upset with the tragedy that occurred with Alex on his last night with Eric. The author really engaged my emotions there. My heart was broken for him. On the other hand, I found it hard to believe that someone who is a professional Dominant could possibly behave the way Eric did, not only that night but during the previous times as well. I also found it hard to believe that neither Alex, nor Sage, expressed their concerns to the Madame who was Alex’s contact for his time with Eric.
I enjoyed the mystery and, though I knew who the perpetrator was, I couldn’t figure out why. I liked the author’s work on that. And I liked the guys in this relationship. Rocky though it was, I was rooting for them to get back together and I’m glad there was ultimately a HEA for them.
One of the other areas that drove me crazy was the editing. There were so many missing words, redundant words and phrases that were moved from the beginning to the end of a sentence but left in both places that I kept getting pulled out of the story. I don’t like to let that influence me in a story’s rating, but it was so bad here that I have to at least note it.
I think this author has a lot of potential. Much of the writing was very good, though there were some places where I thought it was a bit too juvenile. Overall, I liked the story and I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future.
Alex Montgomery is a highly successful author whose book series is being made into a TV series. When he wrote the story, his inspiration for the MC was Christopher Sage an actor whom Alex finds very sexy. So Alex was pleased when Sage accepted the invitation to audition and even more so when he accepted the role. The two are attracted to each other but Alex holds himself aloof and can’t bear to be touched or approached from behind, so Sage gets tired of trying and finally decides he’s not worth the effort.
The problem is that Alex is really Evan Harding, a young man who was raped, beaten and tortured for eight months by a cult leader before he was finally rescued. He’s had years of therapy and is desperately trying to put the ordeal behind him to try to achieve a normal life. One of his therapeutic methods is to submit to Eric Rossi, a man he hires to whip, flog and spank him, and have sex with him. His psychologist is aware of this and originally encouraged it, but she is now counseling him to begin to move away from that. She’s also very interested in his apparent attraction to Sage and encourages Alex to pursue it.
After working together a while and getting to know one another better, the two men ultimately start a relationship, one for which Alex insists they each have a safe word so that they can walk away at any time. In an effort to put Sage off, Alex had blurted out an abbreviated version of his past, but amazingly it didn’t put Sage off, it brought him closer. Alex is almost afraid to believe that he might be able to have a lasting relationship with someone special and he’s starting to see Eric less and less. Sage hates the fact that Alex is having sex with another man and, though trying to be mostly understanding and patient, occasionally blows up about it.
When Alex is finally ready to let Eric go, he decides not to tell Sage up front, wanting to make it a surprise and to assure himself that he can do it. But something terrible happens that night and Alex uses his safe word to push Sage away. Thankfully, he tells his therapist the truth and eventually he shares the truth with Sage and the two get back together.
In the meantime, there’s a mystery to solve. Someone has been imitating scenes from the stories to set up real life disasters. Sage’s co-star was the victim of a letter bomb and his godfather was the victim of a hit and run, both scenarios from the books. The local detective in charge of the case has a soft spot for Sage, since he reminds him of his deceased son. This man plays a critical role later in the story and it’s quite evident that he’s prejudiced in favor of the MCs.
I was so upset with the tragedy that occurred with Alex on his last night with Eric. The author really engaged my emotions there. My heart was broken for him. On the other hand, I found it hard to believe that someone who is a professional Dominant could possibly behave the way Eric did, not only that night but during the previous times as well. I also found it hard to believe that neither Alex, nor Sage, expressed their concerns to the Madame who was Alex’s contact for his time with Eric.
I enjoyed the mystery and, though I knew who the perpetrator was, I couldn’t figure out why. I liked the author’s work on that. And I liked the guys in this relationship. Rocky though it was, I was rooting for them to get back together and I’m glad there was ultimately a HEA for them.
One of the other areas that drove me crazy was the editing. There were so many missing words, redundant words and phrases that were moved from the beginning to the end of a sentence but left in both places that I kept getting pulled out of the story. I don’t like to let that influence me in a story’s rating, but it was so bad here that I have to at least note it.
I think this author has a lot of potential. Much of the writing was very good, though there were some places where I thought it was a bit too juvenile. Overall, I liked the story and I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future.
October 31, 2013
Do not expect an easy read on the senses here, expect to be uncomfortable, saddened and to feel all of the emotional and physical torture as the main character does. Saving Alexander by Susan Mac Nicol takes the battle atonement, acceptance and love down a path that will shred your emotions. Alex has a past that haunts him, wreaking havoc down to his very soul and self-destructive behavior is his atonement and “therapy.” Eric is Alex’s “therapist” at the S&M club, more than willing to “help” Alex beat his demons, but his idea of therapy can be overly brutal. When Sage comes into Alex’s life like a breath of fresh air and sunshine, how can Alex feel worthy and deserving of such goodness? Is Eric ready to let go of Alex or will he destroy the budding relationship between Sage and Alex? Is Sage ready to stand up to Alex’s demons and help him conquer them? Will Alex accept the love Sage offers?
Once again, author Susan Mac Nicol sets a powerful an emotionally brutal stage in a battle of good versus evil within the heart and mind of her main character. She boldly pulls no punches as she takes us into the dark world of pain and control, where the light at the end of the tunnel promises true redemption. You will be moved by her words and the strength of her characters, and will not be left untouched as you reach that last page.
I received a review copy as part of the Susan Mac Nicol SAVING ALEXANDER Blog Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender November 5, 2013.
Publication Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781938876448
Page Count: 256
Genre: Adult Gay/Lesbian Romance/ Contemporary Romance
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Once again, author Susan Mac Nicol sets a powerful an emotionally brutal stage in a battle of good versus evil within the heart and mind of her main character. She boldly pulls no punches as she takes us into the dark world of pain and control, where the light at the end of the tunnel promises true redemption. You will be moved by her words and the strength of her characters, and will not be left untouched as you reach that last page.
I received a review copy as part of the Susan Mac Nicol SAVING ALEXANDER Blog Tour and Giveaway stopping at Tome Tender November 5, 2013.
Publication Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781938876448
Page Count: 256
Genre: Adult Gay/Lesbian Romance/ Contemporary Romance
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
November 4, 2013
Wow, what a book! I went back and forth about giving it a 4 star or 5 star but decided that any book that makes me cry three different times deserves a five star. There were a few typos and the wrong character placement in conversation, but I did not put this book down until I finished around 4 a.m. in the morning.
This book is about Alexander Montgomery who is a author of romance novels (series). His series is turned into a TV series and in lies Christopher Sage (Sage). Alexander develops his main character in the book (Carter) based on an actor he has a "crush" on, Sage. Alexander ends up overseeing the development of the TV series and meets his "crush" during Sage's audition. There is instant chemistry, but not insta-love. Alexander was brought up through the foster system and ends up running away. He is lured into a "horrific" situation and now lives with his own self-imposed demons from his past. He believes he is not worthy of love, kindness or basically anything good and deals with his pain through "punishment" (which he pays for S and M and a dom named Eric). By the way I hate that man.
Sage is a young vibrant actor who has had his "losses" in life, but has always had support from someone during his ordeals. He is completely enraptured by Alexander's mystery, fear, loneliness, and vulnerability (good looks of course) that he reads in his eyes (which he has two different eye colors Heterochromia iridum).
This is not an insta-love book. I believe it spans over 6-8 months in which Sage desperately tries to knock down Alexander's walls. To love Alexander, means Sage has to endure all of Alexander's "ways" to deal with life. Sage tries to deal, but it ends up almost tearing them both apart.
This book also has a mystery running through it that ties into Alexander's novels as well as his past. It is a great read, made me cry, cry, and cry. I fell in love with Alexander, surprisingly more than I fell in love with Sage. What he overcomes and from his past and present and still has the capability to love in incredible.
This book is about Alexander Montgomery who is a author of romance novels (series). His series is turned into a TV series and in lies Christopher Sage (Sage). Alexander develops his main character in the book (Carter) based on an actor he has a "crush" on, Sage. Alexander ends up overseeing the development of the TV series and meets his "crush" during Sage's audition. There is instant chemistry, but not insta-love. Alexander was brought up through the foster system and ends up running away. He is lured into a "horrific" situation and now lives with his own self-imposed demons from his past. He believes he is not worthy of love, kindness or basically anything good and deals with his pain through "punishment" (which he pays for S and M and a dom named Eric). By the way I hate that man.
Sage is a young vibrant actor who has had his "losses" in life, but has always had support from someone during his ordeals. He is completely enraptured by Alexander's mystery, fear, loneliness, and vulnerability (good looks of course) that he reads in his eyes (which he has two different eye colors Heterochromia iridum).
This is not an insta-love book. I believe it spans over 6-8 months in which Sage desperately tries to knock down Alexander's walls. To love Alexander, means Sage has to endure all of Alexander's "ways" to deal with life. Sage tries to deal, but it ends up almost tearing them both apart.
This book also has a mystery running through it that ties into Alexander's novels as well as his past. It is a great read, made me cry, cry, and cry. I fell in love with Alexander, surprisingly more than I fell in love with Sage. What he overcomes and from his past and present and still has the capability to love in incredible.
November 18, 2013
I knew that one of my personal pet-peeves would be in this book. I really think that substitute words like "his lover", "the younger man" should be used very sparsly. For me they create distance to the character. But now to the book:
It didn't feel like an m/m book to me. If you changed Alex into a girl nothing would have been different. These guys actually liked to talk a lot about their feelings. Too much for me. Oh, they were both nice and Sage is a really golden boy. Also I couldn't get invested in their sexlife, maybe it is connected with my above mentioned problem but maybe it's also that I had the feeling that I had read love scenes like this before. Now, I know you can't invent the wheel a second time but I still stumble over books where I actually enjoy the sex because it's personl, intimate, new, fresh and different, tender or hot.
Now, this all doesn't mean it is a poor book, it isn't. The writing and pacing is good and if you love very romantic m/m or are a new m/m reader, I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot.
Just for me it is the wrong book.
It didn't feel like an m/m book to me. If you changed Alex into a girl nothing would have been different. These guys actually liked to talk a lot about their feelings. Too much for me. Oh, they were both nice and Sage is a really golden boy. Also I couldn't get invested in their sexlife, maybe it is connected with my above mentioned problem but maybe it's also that I had the feeling that I had read love scenes like this before. Now, I know you can't invent the wheel a second time but I still stumble over books where I actually enjoy the sex because it's personl, intimate, new, fresh and different, tender or hot.
Now, this all doesn't mean it is a poor book, it isn't. The writing and pacing is good and if you love very romantic m/m or are a new m/m reader, I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot.
Just for me it is the wrong book.
November 18, 2013
4.5 stars Full Review to come soon
"I'm so scared I'll never be able to have a proper relationship, that I'll always be on my own because no one wants damaged goods."
“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”
“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….”
“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….”
"I'm so scared I'll never be able to have a proper relationship, that I'll always be on my own because no one wants damaged goods."
“You are an amazingly brave man. You have more strength than anyone I have known. If anyone can overcome their demons it’ll be you. And I promise to do anything I can to help you do that.”
“He’s driving me crazy…He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh….”
“All I see is one amazingingly strong and sexy man who just wants to make a life for himself….”
February 2, 2018
Trying to clean my palate and I found this on my current reading list since, forever.
I was excited when I started this one, the cover is gorgeous, but I just can't get back to this story again.
Maybe, when I'm in the right mood, I'll be back again (I probably lie, this time)
I was excited when I started this one, the cover is gorgeous, but I just can't get back to this story again.
Maybe, when I'm in the right mood, I'll be back again (I probably lie, this time)
November 6, 2013
Damn this kindle ill review tomorrow since my kindle thought it wise to shut down and not save. Gigi you are right thought hence my rating 4.5 also editing drove me crazy.
October 28, 2013
It's Oct 29, Tuesday.
Original Blog Post: http://headouttheoven.blogspot.com/20...
Those eyes! That is what got my attention. One green, one blue.
I have had a love affair with heterochromia iridis (two colored eyes) ever since I first saw David Bowie. Since then, well, let's just say that when I see these on people or on dogs, I just fall for them hook, line and sinker. Thing is, what made me fall for this book were, surprisingly, not the eyes. It was Alex and Sage.
Before I continue to the review, I must give out a bit of warning. There are elements here involving sex therapy and S&M practices that may not be all that palatable to the unfamiliar and faint of heart. Fear not, everything is laid out brilliantly by Susan Mac Nicol and I just fell in love with this story.
Alexander has had a very difficult and painful past. His eyes were a trigger that got him into a life of pain. Although he had been physically saved from that life, his feelings of guilt and inadequacies were just killing him. His getting into therapy via the S&M club is just one that helps him regain his sanity. His writings are a way out to get his feelings in order. Surprisingly, he discovers he has a huge talent in it that soon he is a bestselling author and about to get his works on film.
Watching actor Christopher Sage from afar was what got Alex into writing the now bestselling novels and when the chance came for the films to be finally realized, he insists Sage be the man to play the main character. He gets his wish. And more.
Sage is a great guy, both inside and out. It helps a lot that he is so good looking, but people simple love him because he is the type of individual everybody loves to like and love. His history with relationships were epic failures. Until Alex.
Reading the relationship unfold between Alex and Sage was a beautiful experience. The pain Alex was experiencing was tangible and Sage turns out to be a very strong persona who was not only willing to get over what Alex has to gain through the S&M therapy sessions but to also try to learn the lifestyle and be the anchor for Alex. For once, Sage meets his match and was not willing to let go of Alex. No matter how painful accepting the other's fault may be.
This book could have gone on and on in a purely romantic and BDSM way but it did not. We get the thrill of a mystery, crime, and suspense. Someone is hurting the people around the film set and those out of it. The result is a surge in book sales and even the police are suspicious that something is not right. Someone is out to destroy either Sage or Alex.
The mystery element is gradual and slowly increases intensity as the story slowly unfolds. There is a sense of thrill in trying to figure out the who and the why. Ultimately, this mystery is solved and along with it, Alexander's sanity is saved.
I have never before read any works of Susan Mac Nicol so this read was such a delightful surprise. I had been prepared for another BDSM thingy and instead got sucked into the world of mystery and romance laced with S&M elements.
My first reaction to reading this made me think twice. There are some things going on here that may take the unprepared readers by surprise. I am familiar with the sex therapy involving S&M, but not all readers are. It is very important to remember that these elements are done as a therapy, not as an excuse.
Susan Mac Nicol was simply brilliant in her approach to this difficult story for it is a difficult story to tell. It was just so beautifully done that I, who can be a bit judgemental, did not even flinch at some of the revelations. This book also had enough of a suspenseful element in it that it gripped me from start to finish.
So yes, this is a romance. This is a mystery. This is a thriller. The elements intertwine seamlessly all to get to one goal: Saving Alexander.
Brilliant!
Original Blog Post: http://headouttheoven.blogspot.com/20...
Those eyes! That is what got my attention. One green, one blue.
I have had a love affair with heterochromia iridis (two colored eyes) ever since I first saw David Bowie. Since then, well, let's just say that when I see these on people or on dogs, I just fall for them hook, line and sinker. Thing is, what made me fall for this book were, surprisingly, not the eyes. It was Alex and Sage.
Before I continue to the review, I must give out a bit of warning. There are elements here involving sex therapy and S&M practices that may not be all that palatable to the unfamiliar and faint of heart. Fear not, everything is laid out brilliantly by Susan Mac Nicol and I just fell in love with this story.
Alexander has had a very difficult and painful past. His eyes were a trigger that got him into a life of pain. Although he had been physically saved from that life, his feelings of guilt and inadequacies were just killing him. His getting into therapy via the S&M club is just one that helps him regain his sanity. His writings are a way out to get his feelings in order. Surprisingly, he discovers he has a huge talent in it that soon he is a bestselling author and about to get his works on film.
Watching actor Christopher Sage from afar was what got Alex into writing the now bestselling novels and when the chance came for the films to be finally realized, he insists Sage be the man to play the main character. He gets his wish. And more.
Sage is a great guy, both inside and out. It helps a lot that he is so good looking, but people simple love him because he is the type of individual everybody loves to like and love. His history with relationships were epic failures. Until Alex.
Reading the relationship unfold between Alex and Sage was a beautiful experience. The pain Alex was experiencing was tangible and Sage turns out to be a very strong persona who was not only willing to get over what Alex has to gain through the S&M therapy sessions but to also try to learn the lifestyle and be the anchor for Alex. For once, Sage meets his match and was not willing to let go of Alex. No matter how painful accepting the other's fault may be.
This book could have gone on and on in a purely romantic and BDSM way but it did not. We get the thrill of a mystery, crime, and suspense. Someone is hurting the people around the film set and those out of it. The result is a surge in book sales and even the police are suspicious that something is not right. Someone is out to destroy either Sage or Alex.
The mystery element is gradual and slowly increases intensity as the story slowly unfolds. There is a sense of thrill in trying to figure out the who and the why. Ultimately, this mystery is solved and along with it, Alexander's sanity is saved.
I have never before read any works of Susan Mac Nicol so this read was such a delightful surprise. I had been prepared for another BDSM thingy and instead got sucked into the world of mystery and romance laced with S&M elements.
My first reaction to reading this made me think twice. There are some things going on here that may take the unprepared readers by surprise. I am familiar with the sex therapy involving S&M, but not all readers are. It is very important to remember that these elements are done as a therapy, not as an excuse.
Susan Mac Nicol was simply brilliant in her approach to this difficult story for it is a difficult story to tell. It was just so beautifully done that I, who can be a bit judgemental, did not even flinch at some of the revelations. This book also had enough of a suspenseful element in it that it gripped me from start to finish.
So yes, this is a romance. This is a mystery. This is a thriller. The elements intertwine seamlessly all to get to one goal: Saving Alexander.
Brilliant!
November 8, 2013
Synopsis:
Punishing himself for a horrific past that is not his fault, bestselling author Alexander Montgomery seeks redemption and love—and perhaps he will find it.
Famous author though he may be, Alexander Montgomery is not someone you take home to meet Mother. Seriously flawed, damaged by a horrific past, he’s trying hard to claw his way back to normality. But how can anyone respect what he truly is? His therapy involves regular sessions at Study in Scarlet, an exclusive S&M club.
Then comes Sage. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm and boy-next-door good looks, he’s the perfect choice to play the leading man in a TV adaptation of Alex’s last best-seller. Even more, he is a man you introduce to your family. Which Alex would do—if he weren’t taken by another man who offers the punishments Alex prays will wipe away the past and make him the person he wants to be. Yet, perhaps there is another path to redemption. If only the solution would reach out and touch him.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one. It took me pleasantly by surprise.
I really liked Alex and Sage. Alex was surprisingly sweet for someone that went through what he'd survived. Sage was awesome for trying his best to be with Alex despite the complications that came along with that. Neither of them were perfect and they had their spats, but they did try.
I was happy that Alex was open and honest with Sage. A lot of times in the romances I've read, a character that has suffered abuse does everything they can not to talk about it. They don't want their lover to think less of them. Alex had those feelings, but he told Sage nearly all of it before they even slept together. Granted, he did it to scare him off, but when Sage showed he was sticking around, he opened up more. He did hold back one crucial thing until the end, but when he did reveal it, he did so for the right reason. It made sense that he didn't want to mention that. However, I don't fault him even a little for doing what he did. Guy got what he deserved. I was so happy whenever Alex made progress into moving away from punishing himself. I hated what happened to him on that awful night that led to a rift between him and Sage. But he came back from that. I was proud.
Sage was great. A really nice guy, but he wasn't without a temper. There were times that he said hurtful things to Alex, so the man wasn't perfect. He did stick things out far better than you could expect of most people, though. And thankfully, he always apologized. He recognized when he was being a dick. He was hurting, but he was happy, too. I was glad that he was in it for the long haul. T
There was a mystery element to the book that I was not expecting. When it was revealed who was behind it all, I was shocked as hell. Didn't see that coming.
I enjoyed most of the supporting characters. Save for Eric Rossi. I hate that guy. If you read the book, you will soon know why. Trust me. The rest of them, I liked. The murderer doesn't count.
Punishing himself for a horrific past that is not his fault, bestselling author Alexander Montgomery seeks redemption and love—and perhaps he will find it.
Famous author though he may be, Alexander Montgomery is not someone you take home to meet Mother. Seriously flawed, damaged by a horrific past, he’s trying hard to claw his way back to normality. But how can anyone respect what he truly is? His therapy involves regular sessions at Study in Scarlet, an exclusive S&M club.
Then comes Sage. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, an up-and-coming actor with impossible charm and boy-next-door good looks, he’s the perfect choice to play the leading man in a TV adaptation of Alex’s last best-seller. Even more, he is a man you introduce to your family. Which Alex would do—if he weren’t taken by another man who offers the punishments Alex prays will wipe away the past and make him the person he wants to be. Yet, perhaps there is another path to redemption. If only the solution would reach out and touch him.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one. It took me pleasantly by surprise.
I really liked Alex and Sage. Alex was surprisingly sweet for someone that went through what he'd survived. Sage was awesome for trying his best to be with Alex despite the complications that came along with that. Neither of them were perfect and they had their spats, but they did try.
I was happy that Alex was open and honest with Sage. A lot of times in the romances I've read, a character that has suffered abuse does everything they can not to talk about it. They don't want their lover to think less of them. Alex had those feelings, but he told Sage nearly all of it before they even slept together. Granted, he did it to scare him off, but when Sage showed he was sticking around, he opened up more. He did hold back one crucial thing until the end, but when he did reveal it, he did so for the right reason. It made sense that he didn't want to mention that. However, I don't fault him even a little for doing what he did. Guy got what he deserved. I was so happy whenever Alex made progress into moving away from punishing himself. I hated what happened to him on that awful night that led to a rift between him and Sage. But he came back from that. I was proud.
Sage was great. A really nice guy, but he wasn't without a temper. There were times that he said hurtful things to Alex, so the man wasn't perfect. He did stick things out far better than you could expect of most people, though. And thankfully, he always apologized. He recognized when he was being a dick. He was hurting, but he was happy, too. I was glad that he was in it for the long haul. T
There was a mystery element to the book that I was not expecting. When it was revealed who was behind it all, I was shocked as hell. Didn't see that coming.
I enjoyed most of the supporting characters. Save for Eric Rossi. I hate that guy. If you read the book, you will soon know why. Trust me. The rest of them, I liked. The murderer doesn't count.
November 17, 2013
OKAY THIS ONE COMES WITH A WARNING: SO THIS IS THE WARNING. THIS IS AN ADULT BOOK AND MY REVIEW MAY HAVE SOME VULGAR LANGUAGE IN IT AND THIS IS A MALE/MALE BOOK SO BE FOR WARNED!
Okay now that I got that out of the way I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Dee and Kindle Alexander for suggesting this book and the authors other books to me because HOLY FREAKING MOTHER LOVER I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and Stripped Bare from Susan. She has this knack for slowing letting you in and grabbing you and before you know it you are invested in these characters and you feel what they feel and you find yourself yelling at your kindle wondering what in the hell just happened.
Saving Alexander is one of the best M/M books I have read so far this year. Man Alexander AKA Alex is a lost and tortured soul. He has come from a dark and abused path and has made a name for himself writing novels. His series is now becoming a TV series and he is holding casting calls to choose who will play the leading characters. Alex has in mind who the main male character should be and he gets his wishes when the actor he finds intriguing and gorgeous auditions for the part and actually wants it.
Christopher Sage is gorgeous and smart and talented and he is gay. Yes folks I said it he is gay and he is one fine specimen and Alex has a crush on him. So when Sage agrees to take the part of the main character Alex is thrilled but at the same time he is nervous because Alex wants Sage but he has a past that won't allow him to give himself to another in a normal relationship. See Alex was held as a sex slave in a cult and he goes to a BDSM club to get his therapy in the form of rough sex and beatings. With this knowledge Alex knows Sage would never go for him being with another man as well as being with him. But soon Sage can't stay away from Alex and Alex can't stay away from Sage.
As they navigate through their relationship Sage never let's go Alex and as they get closer they find that they love each other and need each other but someone or more than one person is determined to have Alex all to themselves and starts to sabotage the set they are filming and they try and hurt Sage but together the two are determined to fight for what feels so right. Sage loves Alex and proves it everyday when he does not walk out on him. But will it be to much when someone tries to hurt Alex and they make Sage choose between Alex or his life. Which will Sage choose?
This is a MUST READ for everyone! Lord I need more from Susan because I sat in my room and read all night until I was done reading and I laughed and I cried and I will never look at the words Tallulah & Chrysippus the same again! Thank you Susan for this wonderful story of love and trust and friendship and overcoming abuse!
Okay now that I got that out of the way I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Dee and Kindle Alexander for suggesting this book and the authors other books to me because HOLY FREAKING MOTHER LOVER I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and Stripped Bare from Susan. She has this knack for slowing letting you in and grabbing you and before you know it you are invested in these characters and you feel what they feel and you find yourself yelling at your kindle wondering what in the hell just happened.
Saving Alexander is one of the best M/M books I have read so far this year. Man Alexander AKA Alex is a lost and tortured soul. He has come from a dark and abused path and has made a name for himself writing novels. His series is now becoming a TV series and he is holding casting calls to choose who will play the leading characters. Alex has in mind who the main male character should be and he gets his wishes when the actor he finds intriguing and gorgeous auditions for the part and actually wants it.
Christopher Sage is gorgeous and smart and talented and he is gay. Yes folks I said it he is gay and he is one fine specimen and Alex has a crush on him. So when Sage agrees to take the part of the main character Alex is thrilled but at the same time he is nervous because Alex wants Sage but he has a past that won't allow him to give himself to another in a normal relationship. See Alex was held as a sex slave in a cult and he goes to a BDSM club to get his therapy in the form of rough sex and beatings. With this knowledge Alex knows Sage would never go for him being with another man as well as being with him. But soon Sage can't stay away from Alex and Alex can't stay away from Sage.
As they navigate through their relationship Sage never let's go Alex and as they get closer they find that they love each other and need each other but someone or more than one person is determined to have Alex all to themselves and starts to sabotage the set they are filming and they try and hurt Sage but together the two are determined to fight for what feels so right. Sage loves Alex and proves it everyday when he does not walk out on him. But will it be to much when someone tries to hurt Alex and they make Sage choose between Alex or his life. Which will Sage choose?
This is a MUST READ for everyone! Lord I need more from Susan because I sat in my room and read all night until I was done reading and I laughed and I cried and I will never look at the words Tallulah & Chrysippus the same again! Thank you Susan for this wonderful story of love and trust and friendship and overcoming abuse!
September 11, 2016
4.5 Stars!!
I’ll give yalls a heads up right from the start. THIS BOOK CONTAINS BDSM IN IT TO A HARD CORE LEVEL. If you are uncomfortable with reading books with that in them, you should NOT read this book. Also, this book contains Male Male relations (as stated above) so if you don’t like those types of books, DO NOT read this one!
Now onto the review!!
We meet Alexander (what a shock I know!) right from the beginning and we are introduced right away to his form of “therapy” which is visiting a BDSM club to be whipped. Right from the beginning, I could tell that Alexander isn’t doing this because he enjoys it and my heart breaks for him each time he visits Eric (his Dom). You could tell that something had happened to him in his past that he was trying to get past. Usually I don’t like it when you can tell a character is hiding something, but I did like the fact that throughout the story we were told little bits of what had happened to him.
Sage’s character, although he was really well written, I felt like there was more time spent on Alexander than him. I think it ended up balancing out in the end of the story though because Sage was more about his strength than anything else. He was able to support Alexander when he needed him to and he was able to help Alexander grow and accept his past.
There are many different things that take part in this story, between Alexander and Sage’s relationship , the attempts on peoples’ lives, and of course finding out the truth of Alexander’s past. While there was a bunch happening in the book, I still think it was a very well written and the story flowed really well.
If you enjoy the M/M genre, then I do believe you should check this book out!
*Received an ARC for honest review*
I’ll give yalls a heads up right from the start. THIS BOOK CONTAINS BDSM IN IT TO A HARD CORE LEVEL. If you are uncomfortable with reading books with that in them, you should NOT read this book. Also, this book contains Male Male relations (as stated above) so if you don’t like those types of books, DO NOT read this one!
Now onto the review!!
We meet Alexander (what a shock I know!) right from the beginning and we are introduced right away to his form of “therapy” which is visiting a BDSM club to be whipped. Right from the beginning, I could tell that Alexander isn’t doing this because he enjoys it and my heart breaks for him each time he visits Eric (his Dom). You could tell that something had happened to him in his past that he was trying to get past. Usually I don’t like it when you can tell a character is hiding something, but I did like the fact that throughout the story we were told little bits of what had happened to him.
Sage’s character, although he was really well written, I felt like there was more time spent on Alexander than him. I think it ended up balancing out in the end of the story though because Sage was more about his strength than anything else. He was able to support Alexander when he needed him to and he was able to help Alexander grow and accept his past.
There are many different things that take part in this story, between Alexander and Sage’s relationship , the attempts on peoples’ lives, and of course finding out the truth of Alexander’s past. While there was a bunch happening in the book, I still think it was a very well written and the story flowed really well.
If you enjoy the M/M genre, then I do believe you should check this book out!
*Received an ARC for honest review*
November 7, 2013
Please leave comments on my 5 sweet pea review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
Alexander Montgomery was in a lot of pain. Pain of his own choosing but pain nonetheless.
Susan Mac Nicol’s Saving Alexander is a book about the evolution of a man, Alex, and of a relationship, Alex and Sage. In addition, it is a murder mystery and a suspenseful story of love, pain, and secrets.
The book begins with a scene between a masochist and a sadist. It is uncomfortable in every sense of the word to read, but essential to the story. This isn’t the last agonizing section of the story, so buckle your seatbelt while reading Saving Alexander. I assure you, it is worth it to keep going all the way to the end, which is as satisfying an HEA as you will ever get.
Alex’s life has been one crisis after another, beginning with the ordeal inflicted on him as a youth trapped in a cult. As an adult, Alex seeks release in his scenes with a sadist, sessions with a therapist, and his writing. He writes a book that is turned into a TV series starring Sage as the lead character. Sage’s godfather and best friend Dan figure prominently in the book and provide occasional comic relief from the heavy presence of Alex’s secrets. Eric is the sadist and he eventually crosses a line that leads to conflict and the ultimate price.
This was not a relaxing book to read but I couldn’t put it down except to eat and sleep. It captivated me with its exploration of a loving relationship that develops out of chaos. And when the murders and attempted murders started I was on the edge of my chair, I can tell you. A good book.
Alexander Montgomery was in a lot of pain. Pain of his own choosing but pain nonetheless.
Susan Mac Nicol’s Saving Alexander is a book about the evolution of a man, Alex, and of a relationship, Alex and Sage. In addition, it is a murder mystery and a suspenseful story of love, pain, and secrets.
The book begins with a scene between a masochist and a sadist. It is uncomfortable in every sense of the word to read, but essential to the story. This isn’t the last agonizing section of the story, so buckle your seatbelt while reading Saving Alexander. I assure you, it is worth it to keep going all the way to the end, which is as satisfying an HEA as you will ever get.
Alex’s life has been one crisis after another, beginning with the ordeal inflicted on him as a youth trapped in a cult. As an adult, Alex seeks release in his scenes with a sadist, sessions with a therapist, and his writing. He writes a book that is turned into a TV series starring Sage as the lead character. Sage’s godfather and best friend Dan figure prominently in the book and provide occasional comic relief from the heavy presence of Alex’s secrets. Eric is the sadist and he eventually crosses a line that leads to conflict and the ultimate price.
This was not a relaxing book to read but I couldn’t put it down except to eat and sleep. It captivated me with its exploration of a loving relationship that develops out of chaos. And when the murders and attempted murders started I was on the edge of my chair, I can tell you. A good book.
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