REVIEW: Matchstick Men by Adira August

The Official Description: SEX, GAMES & MURDER ~ Want to play?

It was munch night at the most elite underground BDSM club in the Rockies. Relaxed and informal, highlighted by the weekly Matchstick Challenge game.

Detective Sergeant Hunter Dane, reigning champion, looked forward to a relaxing evening to start his 3 days off. A few beers on the deck. An interlude with a sweet sub. Stumping a challenger with a new puzzle. Home early for a decent night’s sleep.

Some people are SO deadly serious about their games.

Now Hunt has a fresh body and a new puzzle to solve in twenty-four hours if he wants to find a killer.

A 48k police procedural with a liberal dose of M/M hotness. Which means our fave full-metal Dom shows up to collect on Hunter’s offer of his … coffer. So to speak.

There are puzzles for the reader and mysteries to be solved. Based on characters introduced in the short story On His Knees. For adults.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link – Exclusive to Amazon and Available to Borrow With Kindle Unlimited

Length: 248 pages.

Just the facts: Fluid sexuality, BDSM, power dynamics, murder mystery!

A clever puzzle from beginning to end… murder, mayhem and beautiful, authentic BDSM scenes. – Kinzie Things

My thoughts bit: This book is multi-faceted and thoroughly enjoyable. I believe the author categorizes this title as M/M romance…but WOW, it’s so much more than that. Whenever I read a book about BDSM, I’m hesitant. I’m afraid I expect that any BDSM in a book, will be the watered-down inaccurate version that is so often encountered in books. Not so in Matchstick Men.

Scene and Not Heard is a very discreet BDSM club that caters to people who have a reason to be protective of their lifestyle… and those who are exceedingly wealthy. Hunter is a member of the club because of his profession. Cops and other professionals have free membership at SANH because their skills can be counted on if an emergency arises. Hunter belongs there for more than one reason though… he’s a switch but he knows what his hard limits are.

Cam might be very young…but he’s a coveted Dom at the club. He’s skilled, focused and talented. And one day, he’s exactly what Hunter needs and wants. The thing is when he goes to his knees for Cam… there is no escape… no safe words… no limits.

This is just the beginning of the story about these two men… and a simplified version at that. The BDSM in this novel has a very authentic feel to it. There’s power exchange, safety, sanity, and care. There’s also absolute control at risk for both men in a way. The way the relationship between Hunter and Cam is revealed is beautifully done. August is a talented writer and clearly has a penchant for writing about BDSM. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone interested in a BDSM novel that is accurate and interesting and authentic.

Of interest to me was that Hunter discovers he is sexually fluid as he works the case and gets to know Cam. There is an interesting exploration of submission and dominance as it may or may not relate to sexuality and sex. Many of the interactions between these two men are full of Interesting emotions and behaviors. Fascinating to read!

One of the truly entertaining parts of this story is the puzzle aspect. Hunter is a wiz at matchstick puzzles… but there is also a very cleverly plotted out murder case that needs to be solved. The detail work regarding the puzzles was lovely! The matchstick puzzles the characters are betting on appear in the novel and it’s fun to try and figure them out.

Detailed writing also makes the police work exciting and realistic. Hunter is very good at his job but he discovers by accident that Cam has a talent for researching that makes him a good man to have in his corner.

The warnings bit: Please be aware, I’m by no means an expert on what may or may not have the potential to disturb people. I simply list things that I think a reader might want to be aware of. In this book: (SPOILERS) explicit BDSM scening (many different elements), description of a murdered individual, gun violence, description of extensive bleeding from a gunshot wound and bone break.

I don’t write the fantasy HEA. But there are such things as commitments kept, caring unreservedly for another, and never giving up. Which means everything is a love story. Murder investigations included.

My characters and their stories are everything. Hunt and Cam, Ben and Avia, Mike and Cal are vibrant, passionate people. So there tends to be a lot of sex. And they are as real to me as my readers are.

addi-

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