Impacted [Paperback]

Mickie B Ashling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2009

On his way home from vacation, Scott Gregory, a closeted sub, hooks up with the gorgeous Red, a flamboyant dom, for a thrilling one-off at a BDSM bar. They part ways after a satisfying scene... but meet again when Robin Kennedy-Red-arrives at his new job as a dental hygienist and discovers one of his two bosses is Scott. Robin and Scott embark on a journey of exploration into their kinkier sides and discover they're more than compatible-they're a perfect match. But keeping employer/employee and Dom/sub separate at the office presents difficulties, and to make matters even more complicated, the owner of the dental practice is an acknowledged homophobe. They fall in love, but Robin chafes at all the secrecy, refusing to live in the shadows. Scott isn't as brave; he's desperate to protect his job and his future. Will they be able to find some middle ground... or will their entire relationship fall apart because of fear?

Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1615810234
• ISBN-13: 978-1615810239
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,879,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mickie B. Ashling began writing stories about men who love men around the time she discovered Queer as Folk. The characters on that show intrigued her, and ground-breaking writers such as Patricia Nell Warren inspired her. She began to write the kind of stories that she enjoyed reading, spurred on by her muse, who really has this thing for hunky men getting it on.

Mickie has lived in different parts of the world but currently resides in a quiet suburb outside Chicago. She's a respectable office manager by day and a proud mother of four grown men who continue to wonder where this interest in gay romance has come from. Mickie's first love is writing, but traveling is a close second. Her dream is to be able to quit her day job soon so she can devote all her time and energy doing what she loves best.



Visit Mickie's web site at http://mickieashling.com and her blog at http://mickieashling.livejournal.com/. You can contact her at [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story!, November 7, 2010

By 

Asiriusbee~ (Laurel, Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Impacted! (Kindle Edition)

I thought this was a great story about how vulnerable one can be, and how hard it is to "come out" of the closet when you have so many hang ups. Robin's love for Scott was awe-inspiring; he gave so much of himself to let Scott know everyday how much he was loved and Scott, in return, was able to learn to let go and trust Robin. This is a great romantic story for all of us looking for a little bit more of romance in our M/M books!

P.S. Want to find out more about Scott & Robin? Read the follow-up book Bonds of Love!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impacted, January 8, 2010

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Impacted (Paperback)

Periodontal surgeon Dr. Scott Gregory is on his way to San Francisco, and a position in a dental practice, when he stops at a San Ramon BDSM club. There he meets Red the bartender, a sexy Dominant who is exactly what Scott needs. He wants to see the man again, but Red is leaving town. Scott puts the whole incident behind him and starts work. He has to go back into the closet to work for his homophobic boss, which he thinks won't be a problem. Then he meets the new hygienist--Red!

Robin "Red" Kennedy isn't sure agreeing to work for a homophobic dentist is a good idea, but the position is too good to pass up. He's shocked to find out his sexy one-night submissive is the other dentist in the practice. Despite the risk of discovery, Robin and Scott begin an affair. Will their secret life as a Dom and sub be discovered?

Impacted! is a book that was enjoyable, but never quite reached the level I hoped it would. Both Scott and Robin are likeable characters. Scott's outer success covers up a deep insecurity. Robin's confidence and dominance hides a core of caring. The emotion in their relationship was sweet, and the scenes between them were hot. Secondary characters like Robin's mom and Scott's friend Susie are interesting and fun to read about. My problem with Impacted! was with the plot. Scott's behavior often came across as waffling. The other dentist in the practice and his family were homophobic to the level of caricature. Toward the end, the plot was a bit on the melodramatic side, with revelations that were both surprising and a bit over the top. Still, readers who like BDSM and drama will be sure to find something to like in Impacted!

Cassie

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Expected more, October 29, 2011

By 

BartlebyScrivener - See all my reviews

This review is from: Impacted! (Kindle Edition)

I wish I could give this book a better rating, but unfortunately, it's not a good book. I think there's the basis of a good story here, but it's never fully realized. Scott and Red are supposed to be men -- and more significantly, men in a Dom/sub relationship -- but they act too much like women or the way women imagine men would talk when they're in a relationship to be believable.

There are plot twists and progressions that don't go anywhere; the characters are basically one-note cardboard cut-outs; and the ending is straight out of a 1980s soap opera (which were campy fun; perhaps that's what the author intends here, but it's not clear).

She certainly knows her way around a dental office and dental technology (and having just finished editing a book on dental surgeries, I understood most of what she was writing about). The author also knows San Francisco. I lived there 20 years ago; it was nice to be brought back.