Comments on: REVIEW: Wicked by Sasha White

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:06:07 +0000

Shadowheart, perhaps? That book made me go out and buy every Kinsale I could find. I didn’t find the male sub angle to be such a big deal until I read the comments on blogland. I barely noticed it at the time except to think, at one point, that the heroine was rather feisty for a ravished virgin.

By: Sasha White

Sasha White — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:21:11 +0000

Hi Jane,

I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy WICKED, I feel it’s one of my best stories yet.
I always strive to make a story emotional, and go beyond the sex scenes, and but as with all books, not every one is going to love it.

As for male sub’s, I’ve read a story or two on them that I found enjoyable, but like any story, it’s because of the reasoning behind the actions, not the actions themselves. I agree, Joey Hill is a great example of well done BDSM stories with male sub’s.

By: Barbara B.

Barbara B. — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:22:47 +0000

Sarah Frantz said-
“FWIW, I haven’t found any male sub romances besides Joey Hill that I’m really willing to read. Except, of course, Laura Kinsale.”

Which Laura Kinsale book has a male sub?

By: Sarah Frantz

Sarah Frantz — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:41:51 +0000

Hey, no biggie. ;) In your description, you’ve described the best type of submissive male. It’s my contention that most romances are all about forcing the male into the kind of submission you describe, whether or not it looks like that from the outside. But that might be my particular bias speaking! :P FWIW, I haven’t found any male sub romances besides Joey Hill that I’m really willing to read. Except, of course, Laura Kinsale. ;)

By: vanessa jaye

vanessa jaye — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:55:49 +0000

Don’t be shy, Vanessa Jaye, tell us what you REALLY like :)

:-P Didn’t mean to come across ’strident’, or rude(?). I think the reason I went on and on is because I’m not sure myself why I don’t like the characterization in my romance. I’ll puzzle it out eventually.

By: Teddypig

Teddypig — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:20:38 +0000

Well, I gotta say there is a big difference between Joey W. Hill and most BDSM Romance eBooks I have read. That being the author having some clue how to write “why” people would be turned on by the role or “how” they are turned on by the role they are attracted to.

Sounds like that may have been lacking here and honestly depending on what type of dynamics are being used without that explanation even I can get a little leery of what I am reading.

By: veinglory

veinglory — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:53:14 +0000

We all have what we like and don’t like. I just wish male subs in non-BDSM romance, well, *existed* to any great degree. General it is ‘how sub do you want your female, just a lot–or good girl+spanking.

By: vanessa jaye

vanessa jaye — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:19:34 +0000

While I am interesting --I pay good money for all my friends to tell me so. heh. --I actually meant to write: "With all due respect to Joey Hill I was quite interested in reading this book based on all the positive buzz…"

By: Cathy in AK

Cathy in AK — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:52:44 +0000

(popping up out of lurk-mode)

Don’t be shy, Vanessa Jaye, tell us what you REALLY like :)

Thanks for the review, Jane.

By: vanessa jaye

vanessa jaye — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:19:26 +0000

Vanessa Jaye, read Joey Hill’s Rough Canvas (m/m) or Natural Law (m/f) for some totally hot submissive males.

Sarah, how do i put this…. No. lol.

With all due respect to Joey Hill I was quite interesting in reading this book based on all the positive buzz… until I realized the sub male angle. They just don’t work for me. I actually find myself getting angry with those scenes depicting the male/hero being submissive. (and I guess I have to puzzle how why this is. I am quite *resistant* to the thought of these books.) I end up despising the sub hero and thinking the dominant heroine as a bitch if she’s enjoying herself too much. This is only in romance genre books. Although… I have bought, but haven’t read yet the Kinsale book with the hero who likes a bit of rough ‘handling’ from the heroine. Some how, again from the buzz I read, the dynamics seem a bit different there. We’ll see.

The best submissive males are alpha IRL, FWIW.

This may be, (being so comfortable in his masculinity, that he knows the ultimate power is to cede it for his sexual fulfillment, yaddah, yaddah,) and yet, I don’t want my Alpha to be submissive in this way.

I certainly want him protective of the heroine and those around him, etc. And be able to put their needs before his own. I certainly want him to have enough introspection to realize/admit his weaknesses. I want him strong enough to admit to the vulnerability that his love for the heroine opens up.

And I don’t mind him being an ass while this is all going on. lol.

But that submissive male thing is just not my thing in a romance. Give me a red-headed, bearded, burr-riddled Ochs!man in head to toe leather, with the firey pelt on his manly chest barely contained by his CK wife beater, and shit-kickers (tm JRW) on his size 18 feet, riding in on a tricked out monster bike fuelled solely with testosterone, and dragging his knuckles behind him, any day!

Welcome to the ‘boy that Vanessa Jaye Sux’ club. Lol.