Power Play: Resistance by Rachel Haimowitz & Cat Grant

Title: Resistance: Power Play by Rachel Haimowitz & Cat Grant
Power Play Series Book One
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Genre: M/M, BDSM, Erotic
Length: 267 pages/Word Count: 91,500
Book Rating: B+

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher

Summary:

Give me six months, and I’ll give you the world.

Brandon McKinney has scraped and sacrificed for what little in life he’s ever had. Though it’s been fifteen years since he escaped his father’s abuse, the damage remains. Trust seems as far out of reach as his dream of becoming an architect, and though he’s come to accept being gay, he can’t deny the shame and confusion he feels at other urges—the deeply-repressed desire to submit.

Jonathan Watkins is a self-made Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-wife took half his money and even more of his faith. Comfortable as a Dominant but wary of being hurt again, he resorts to anonymous pickups and occasional six-month contracts with subs seeking only a master, not a lover.

When a sizzling back-alley encounter cues Jonathan in to Brandon’s deep-seated submissive side, he makes the man an offer: Give me six months of your life, and I’ll open your eyes to a whole new world. Brandon doesn’t care about that; all he wants is the three million dollars Jonathan’s offering so he can buy the construction company he works for. But he soon learns that six months on his knees is no easy feat, and shame and pride may keep him from all he ever wanted—and all he never dreamed he had any right to have.

Reader discretion advised. This title contains the following sensitive themes: heavy kink. While consent is clearly established and frequently reaffirmed, some moments in Power Play push hard against the outer edges of consent.

The Review:

Power Play: Resistance by Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant is a very intense, emotionally and physically exhausting read that breaks all the rules in BDSM. With heavy sadism and sometimes barely consensual sex, it is not for the sexually faint of heart. It is a powerful novel that is so strongly compelling and riveting that it is impossible to put down.

Bran McKinney is tough, macho and very much in control of himself and his life. He is a self-made man who has put his painful abusive past behind him. He is actively pursuing his goal of owning his own business but he is frustrated by his inability to secure a business loan. Bran leads a solitary life and his sexual encounters are brief with no emotional ties.

Jonathan Watkins is a charming billionaire who denies himself nothing. He is a Dom and sadist that avoids relationships by engaging in emotionless hookups and the occasional contract with submissives. He is so confident in his perception that Bran is submissive, Jonathan offers him a deal that Bran finds impossible to refuse. Bran will receive three million dollars if he will become Jonathan’s sub for six months.

Their D/s relationship is an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions. Bran has NO idea what is he agreeing to, and Jonathan fails miserably in giving Bran the guidance he needs. Jonathan is determined to break Bran and he will stop at nothing in his attempt to strip him of his pride and inherent strong will. While there are some aspects of submission that appeal to Bran, he is not a true submissive and Jonathan is unable (or unwilling) to accept this very important distinction.

The struggle between Jonathan and Bran is raw and gritty. The punishments that Jonathan metes out are harsh and quite sadistic and so incredibly painful it is sometimes difficult to continue reading. But it is impossible not to want to know where Ms. Haimowitz and Ms. Grant are going to take Bran and Jonathan next. Will Jonathan break Bran’s spirit? Will Bran concede power and control? Is there any possible way to salvage the fragile relationship the two men shared before entering into their contract?

Power Play: Resistance by Rachel Haimowitz and Cat Grant is a commanding novel that will stretch your boundaries as much as it does Bran’s and to some extent, Jonathan’s. Their D/s relationship is not all bad; both men gain valuable insight and information about themselves from their experiences. They both grow as individuals and as partners. While I would not classify this as a romance, there are some romantic elements to their relationship. The ending is the perfect beginning for Power Play: Awakening the next installment of this provocative yet extraordinary series.