Confessions of a Murder Suspect

4.5Queue Big Smile

I won't bury the lead. I loved this. Yes I did kick and scream a bit but Ella Frank pulled me through to the other side. Thanks. The audio is by Charlie David and though at first it felt a bit rocky, maybe too fast? the characterizations came together quite well in the end and it was all smooth sailing.

My main reason for jumping into this was Robbie, wonderful Robbie, who played a pretty prominent role in the Temptation series. You could read this independent from that series but why would you? Robbie is just a boy looking for love, wanting to belong, and eager to please. Circumstances have him cross paths with Joel Priestley a.k.a Priest & Julien Thornton, a couple looking for a third to balance out their marriage. It turns out that Priest and Julien are like magnets that should repel but are in fact very much attracted to each other. However this union needs a third to balance out things among them the fact that both Priest & Julien are dominant and don't/won't submit to the other. Not easily. They need someone to be the warm center that softens their harsh exterior. In return they offer love, protection, and an equal place in their relationship. M/M/M done right. Who would say no to that? Not Robbie. And neither would I! Also I liked that this didn't take a dive into BDSM, which a lot of books now do in a completely contrived way. This menage remains firmly on the D/s shore and I for one couldn't be happier. Don't get me wrong. I love some good, non-scene, non-traditional BDSM but I just knew that it would be totally false for Robbie. No whips and cuffs for the Robbie we all know and love.

Julien is an award winning, t.v. famous, world class chef with an Adonis body decorated by drool-worthy tattoos. He had me at Chef. Priest is a lawyer who is both ruthless & relentless when it comes to his clients and those he loves. Those he considers HIS. And Robbie ... sweet Robbie, sigh he's not some kind of secret genius, super talented musician, or closet nerd. Nope. He's just a guy who loves his family, wants someone to love who will love him back, and likes to have fun. In other words he's that best friend most of us are lucky enough to have. In Robbie's case he comes dressed up in bright colors, short shorts, and eensy teensy pieces of cloth he calls underwear. What's not to love here? Nothing.

I love how Priest & Julien are with each other outside independent of their wooing of Robbie. Here they are talking about Robbie but this scene is so much about them:
“Hurry up and come home so we can go to dinner.”Priest's body hummed at the request, and he thought about all the things he wanted from this man. “He's curious, you say>““Curious and wary.”“Both qualities that I admire.” “Don't you mean both qualities that turn you on?”Priest smirked. “Most of the time. You on the other hand ...““What about me?”Priest imagined the smile that would be stretched across Julien's sexy mouth and said, “You breathe and I'm turn on.”

Their courting of Robbie? Nice. They basically wine and dine him and ALWAYS treat him with respect. Perfect. I generally loved the progression of the story and the breadcrumbs leading up to the next two? books in the series. EF gives us just enough about Priest & Julien's personal history to wet our appetite for more without being overly expository. I'm hooked.

Big bonus for the Temptation series fans (me!): Logan Mitchell. I love that man.

Gripes ahead. Ignore them completely.

I've saved my complaints/reservations for the end because they are in fact inconsequential and perhaps entirely too personal. Feel free to disregard or better yet just stop reading here. Also if you do go on I may mention some slightly spoilerish things that happen in True, the last in the Temptation series.

My main ugh is that I don't quite understand or rather am convinced as to how or why Priest & Julien set their sights on Robbie as “The One”. Due to he nature of their relationship Priest & Julien have been having a third in their bed for some time. It's been a revolving door of anonymous bodies but at this point they've decided that they need/want something more permanent. Something that will go beyond the physical and go deeper to an emotional intimacy. I agree. However how did they know that Robbie would/could be that person? It seems like they've settled it in their minds and are only waiting for Robbie to agree before they know very much about him, which becomes quite apparent during this book. Even if you've read the Temptation series you don't know what it is. Robbie meets Priest during the course of the last three books, in fact Robbie starts right where True left off, and to say that they don't get along is putting it mildly. While it is true that those who grate on our nerves are usually those that make us tick in other areas I just didn't SEE what did Priest really know about Robbie which made him pursue Robbie. That pursuit started somewhat in earnest in True when he sends Julien to check out Robbie at his place of work and Julien ends up getting Robbie's phone number after a brief flirtation but without being explicit about “who” he is or what “they” wanted. You should totally read the Temptation series. Not only will you get a deeper understanding of Robbie but you'll get Logan & Tate. Win Win.

My other gripe is twofold. First: this recurring thing of people coming on command. People who are new to a relationship. Sure. Uh huh. Second: these omniscient, almost oracle like characters. I get that Priest is the D in this D/s relationship but I didn't think that he knew Robbie well enough to be all that “I Know You” with him. Shrug I'm being bitchy. But Doms always raise my hackles until they prove themselves. Sue me.

Part three of my endless kvetching: what's up with these size queens and their magic peens? why does sex for the bottom have to be “leave-him-limping-from-monster-cock” to be satisfying? It seems that Robbie is into it, almost as a point of pride. Julien, not so much and I'm with him.