This week, I'm reviewing Romilly King's kinky, erotic m/m romance, PAID TO WATCH. It's the fourth book in a series, but can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I read in this series and have no prior background with the world in which this book takes place. With that said, I found that I was able to follow along with no issues and generally enjoyed the story. But, before I jump into my detailed review, here's the cover!
THE REVIEW
Cash is the operations direction for the Delphic Agency and secret sub. Tay is their top Dom. The two are brought together by an attraction so great, ethical lines are blurred as they move from colleagues to lovers.
That is essentially the plot of PAID TO WATCH by Romilly King. A m/m erotic romance with a kinky lean, it is a standalone title that is part of a series.
There were several positives about this book that were just awesome in my opinion.
1) The premise. Okay, in my opinion, if you really want to know yourself, kink is the quickest way to do that. I really love how this book deals with kink as something to help people know who they are. Also, how cool would it be if that there was an agency focused on identifying people's kinks, and then providing safe and reputable services. One of the best parts about this book was how kink is just a natural part of this world....no big deal.
2) The small snippets of kink that were shown in the novel, were realistic. So many times I've read something that's just a bit off, but I did't have that problem here. It was respectfully done and bonus points for the emphasis on consent.
3) I love the sub/Dom relationship in this novel. Tay and Cash were a good couple. Period.
4) The characters are so likable. I love the two MCs. The older, more experienced, Dom (Tay) matched with the younger, more naive, sub (Cash), is a classic trope combo that I'm totally gaga over. And also, the Dom (Tay) wasn't too much. He was a fair Dom, firm, understanding, and super sexy.
Things that did not work for the story. There is basically just one, but it's a biggie.
1) The main issue I had with this novel was not story related, but how the story was told. The book essentially takes place in the past and explains what happened through journal entries and flashbacks. It isn't until the last 5-7% of the book that we are brought into present time/action. And that was really hard to accept as a reader. I felt as if I was being told what happened instead of being part of the characters experiences as they unfolded. Like it almost didn't matter what I was reading because it already happened and was over with and I would have much rather the story happen in front of me/with me. Now, I understand that many stories are told in a past tense POV, however, the way this was done was different. Chapters are labeled as "Four years ago," "Three years ago," "6 months ago," etc. It really prohibited me from falling into the narrative, like I was an outsider looking in.
THE VERDICT
With that said, the story itself was very interesting. This book could have easily been a 4 or even a 4.5 kiss book for me if I just felt more a part of the narrative and not like I was reading something from the past. Like I said, there are so many great things about this book. Romilly King has a nice way of depicting complex relationships and is a good storyteller who creates interesting characters that are likable. And I am intrigued enough to look at her other books. But the POV thing was big for me, so overall, it's a 3.5 kiss read.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Romilly wakes up every morning and decides which (witch) to be. Some days Romilly is an imp, some days a fairy, some days a stoic, and some days a tarantine. With a classical education, a filthy mouth and a head full of obscure words Romilly isn't the best person to bring home to Mother but makes for engaging company other than that. Romilly is also incredibly kind, and not just to puppies.
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT ROMILLY KING & HER BOOKS CLICK HERE