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PRE-RELEASE REVIEW: 'Hush' by Lynn Kelling


Title: Hush

Series: The Manse # 4 - Prequel to Bare

Author: Lynn Kelling

Release Date: April 17, 2018

Cover Artist: Siol na Tine

Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance; Mystery/Thriller

Length: 398 Pages

Tags: Gay; M/M; M/M/M; Menage; Bisexual; BDSM; D/s; Deaf; Comfort/Hurt; Coming Out; Interracial; Motorcycle Club; HEA; Standalone

CW: Gay Bashing, Hate Crime, Off-Page Murder, Violence

Kinks: Bondage, Edging, Electrical Stimulation, Figging, Genital Torture, Humiliation, Object Penetration, Sex Toys, Sounding, Spanking, Non-Conventional Toys, Voyeurism, Sadism, Masochism, Milking

About Hush

Rune Tooby is a smartass rebel and closeted gay biker with The Born Soldiers motorcycle gang. Rune’s life centered on casual sex and less-than-legal employment, until a pickup truck full of homophobic white supremacists rammed into his bike, destroying his hearing and shattering his life. Learning to live deaf and silent overwhelmed Rune, sending him to humbly beg help from the last people he trusts completely: the rich and powerful Dominants of the Manse, who trained Rune in the arts of BDSM.

Oliver Hughes, cocky day trader and sexual Dominant, lives a life of indulgent luxury. Despite this, he feels adrift and unneeded since his beloved submissive, Jackson Whitney, became absorbed into life as a family man and cardiologist, leaving him little time for his Master. When a meeting between Rune and Oliver is carefully arranged by the leaders of Manse, it starts a wild ride, sweeping up everyone who gets too close to the explosive pair. Rune and Oliver find themselves on a path filled with frustrating miscommunications, rage-filled vengeance, and painfully unearthed secrets.

5 HEART READ

Review:

I love the characters from the Society of Masters Universe and Lynn Kelling’s latest novel, Hush, is one of the best. There’s a rougher edge to this one. (I know, I can hear other die-hard fans scoffing and wondering how that could even be possible, but it’s true.) The dimensions Kelling explores in the D/s relationships in this story are deeper, darker, and more intense than I’ve known her to go before. At times this book is a difficult journey, but it’s one worth taking because the payout is spectacular.

Just a note: while the characters in Hush appear in other Society of Masters novels, you can read this one as a standalone. And if this is your first experience with the stories of Lynn Kelling, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Hush has all the things I love most about Lynn Kelling’s writing: the way she explores the psyche of her characters, the intense and beautifully written BDSM scenes, and the social commentary with a hopeful message. Kelling delves deep into the hearts and souls of these men. They bare themselves completely and connect on the purest, most primal level. They find a way to work through the damage, transform themselves, and make their lives worth living.

The targeted victim of a hate crime, Rune Tooby is now permanently deaf, scarred, and feels unable to interact with the people in his life. He realizes he’s at his breaking point and reaches out to David Davenport, the Master Dominant at the local BDSM club, for help. Rune realizes he needs to get his rage under control or it will destroy him. In his words, “‘He wanted someone who’d take all of his shit without batting an eye, turn it around, and use it to keep him in place, where he’d be safe, seen, and understood.’” This is his last line of defense to reclaim a life for himself.

 

The dimensions Kelling explores in the D/s relationships in this story are deeper, darker, and more intense than I’ve known her to go before.

 

I admire Rune so much. Yes he’s a victim, but he owns his damage, wears it openly, and seeks out his healing in a proactive way. He’s learning sign language and lip reading skills, plus trying to deal with all the insecurities and doubts that come with losing his hearing. Rune is a proud, determined man and he’s going to make sure his new Dom earns his submission, and cherishes it when he does.

David believes the right Dom for Rune is Oliver Hughes. When they meet the chemistry between the two men is intense and completely irresistible. Rune shows Oliver straight-off that he’s not easily intimidated, and Oliver is definitely intrigued. Oliver needs a sub who challenges him, and he wants someone to conquer and keep.

The major conflict between the two men occurs when Rune comes clean about the details of his attack. Having a history, as he says, of “‘sticking up for the underdog,’” Rune can’t allow these bigoted abusers to continue hurting people. Plus he wants his revenge. Despite Oliver’s repeated orders to leave it to the police, Rune enlists the help of his motorcycle club to stop the white supremacist group who tried to kill him. Here’s where it starts to get really intense.

While initially I was unsettled by the way Oliver handles Rune’s punishment for defying his orders, I ended up going back over the book, looking for insight into why it’s so extreme. I was satisfied by what I found. And while it definitely tests the limits of both characters, they need it, it works for them, and the process is part of the healing.

 

Kelling delves deep into the hearts and souls of these men. They bare themselves completely and connect on the purest, most primal level.

 

The thing that really lingered with me, and the reason I absolutely had to reread Hush, is the incredible transformation Oliver makes over the course of this story. He admits at the beginning to being frustrated with his life, longing to find a purpose and having a desire to be truly needed. Oliver wants to make a life with someone.

It’s so beautiful to watch what happens to Oliver as he and Rune connect, how he affects Rune and what he’s able to do for him. When Oliver realizes the enormity of what Rune is giving up to him, what his surrender really means, it changes everything for Oliver. It was incredibly moving for me.

While you can enjoy Hush on its own, the characters from the Manse series all have dark and wonderful stories to tell. I definitely recommend them and, fingers crossed, Lynn Kelling plans to give us many more!

A copy of Hush was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Lynn Kelling, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.

Meet the Author

Lynn Kelling began writing in order to tell stories that aren’t afraid of the dark, don’t hold anything back and always strive to be memorable, forging lasting attachments between character and reader. Her inspiration comes from taking a closer look at behaviors and ideas lurking at the fringes of life—basically anything that people may hesitate to speak of in mixed company, but everyone wonders about anyway. Her work is driven by the taboo in order to expose the humanity within it. Lynn is an artist, designer and lover of any form of creative self-expression that comes from a place of honesty and emotion, whether it’s body art or opera. She is an award-winning author who has written over fifty works of erotic fiction of varying lengths, and always has several novels in progress.

For more from Lynn be sure and visit her website.

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