Reviewed by JustJen
Title: Studio Orders
Author: Morticia Knight
Series: Gin & Jazz #5
Heroes: Vincent/Juan
Genre: M/M Historical BDSM
Length: 165 Pages
Publisher: Totally Bound
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Available at: Totally Bound, Amazon, All Romance eBooks & Barnes and Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads & Booklikes
Blurb: The head of Global Pictures Studios, Vincent Franklin, promised Jack Stone that he would take care of Jack’s loyal driver, Juan. But for a dominant man like Vincent, Juan’s natural submissiveness causes him to long for much more from the shy young man.
Juan is devastated when his only friend, film star Jack Stone, leaves Hollywood for good. Lonely most of his life, the shy young man has dreamt of love, only to have his heart broken repeatedly. Before he left, Jack made certain that Juan would be taken care of by asking his ex-boss, studio chief Vincent Franklin, to hire him on.
Vincent Franklin is an incredibly controlled and meticulous man. Not given to emotional outbursts and unnecessary flights of fancy, his temperament is ideal for the stressful and demanding job as head of Global Pictures Studio. He leads a carefully concealed private life, his only social outlet being the S&M club to which he belongs. When Jack introduces him to his handsome chauffeur Juan, he is struck by how naturally submissive Juan is. He wonders…
Soon, Juan is falling for the elegant, older man that is his new boss. He’s also thrilled when Vincent asks him to be his personal valet. But there are things that Vincent demands of a lover that Juan knows nothing about. Things that could make him run away from the man that would do anything to protect and care for him.
Reader Advisory: This book contains strong elements of BDSM.
Publisher’s Note: This book is best read as part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Review:
I should start by saying that I have not read the other books in this series but was told this could be read as a stand alone. Unfortunately, I really believe I would have enjoyed it more had I read the rest of the books first. There is enough backstory given on the other characters to give you a feel for what’s gone on, but it left me feeling as though I missed too much and should have read their books instead of getting their stories in this installment.
I am not a huge fan of historical, but seeing the BDSM aspect, decided to give it a go. This never really gives you a good feel of the era portrayed (1920’s Hollywood), but that actually worked to my advantage.
Vincent Franklin is the head of Global Picture Studios. He likes to be in control, both in his professional, as well as personal life. When one of Vincent’s actors leaves Hollywood behind, he asks Vincent to take care of his loyal employee, Juan. Vincent agrees, but is not quite prepared for the sweet, naturally submissive guy he takes on. He’s immediately taken by Juan and longs to explore more of the submissive relationship he thinks they could have. He believes Juan could be the perfect partner for him, but Juan takes some convincing.
Juan is kind of a naïve guy, clearly upset over losing his actor friend. He relies on others quite a bit and has no idea about the real aspects of BDSM. He’s shy and insecure and has been hurt many times in the past. He’s looking for love and security, and Vincent has to take care not to scare him off by being too upper handed.
I actually liked Vincent quite a bit. He was strong and supportive and seemed to know just how far to push and when to offer love and security. However, the mixed POV’s inherent throughout this story allow you to really get an idea of what each of these guys is feeling and going through. In the end, these guys really seemed to balance each other out and provide exactly what the other needed.
I ended up enjoying this story quite a bit, though I really wished I had read the previous books. I’m planning to go back and do so, as I really enjoyed this author’s writing style. This was a first read by this author for me, and I’ll definitely be looking into her other series as well.
Overall Impression: I liked it
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
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