Don’t… (A Gay BDSM Thriller) by Jack L. Pyke #LGBT #Audiobook #MMRomance

Erryn reviews Don’t… (A Gay BDSM Thriller) by Jack L. Pyke. The second edition of the book was released by Men in Ink Press on February 28, 2019 and is 399 pages.  The audibook was released June 17, 2019 is narrated by Dan Calley and is 13 hours and 13 minutes. An audio book was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Why I read this: I’m a HUGE BDSM Fan.

Blurb: 

“Don’t…bleed for me.” (The Unknown)

Saying “don’t” around Jack Harrison always did lead him into dangerous grounds on London streets. But now someone knows Jack’s head inside and out, and they’re about to twist all perception and lead him into an underground depravity that nearly sent him down in his youth. As Jack slips further into a dark psychological minefield, only two men offer different paths back to sanity: Gray, a man who knows Jack’s every dark thought, and Jan, the first man to show Jack a “soft lad” approach to head and heart. But with deadly games and ghosts bleeding through into Jack’s reality, it’s a fight to see who out of the three of them will survive long enough to find a way out of the vicious game played by someone known only as…the Unknown.

Buy links: Audible | Amazon | Add to Goodreads

*****

My review:

This book is a true mind fuck.  In every sense of the word.

And I loved it.

When I saw the tag a ‘Gay BDSM thriller’, I was intrigued and I snapped up the book when I had the chance.  I went in blind – as in I didn’t even read the synopsis.  I was glad I didn’t because it meant I was unprepared for each twist and turn.  And there were a lot of both.  Every time I thought I had an understanding of the characters, something would change and I’d be standing on quick sand, trying to get my bearings.  Each time I thought I understood where the plot was heading, something would come along and throw all those ideas out the window.  I loved that.

This book is a psychological thriller.  So much of the book takes place in characters’ minds.  Jack is the central protagonist and his mind is a dark place.  He’s got ODD – oppositional defiance disorder.  If you tell him not to do something he’ll do it. (Sound like some children you know…or maybe an adult or two?)  He owns a garage and makes a decent living but it’s what he does in his spare time that is so dangerous.  Only when his extracurricular activities start to impinge on his work does he begin to think maybe there’s a problem.

There are two men in Jack’s life – both very different and yet united in their desire to see Jack happy and healthy.  Not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.  Jan is a gentle soul who sees his only way into Jack’s life as from a position of force.  Not violence, just force.  Gray, on the other hand, has known Jack for more than ten years and therefore believes he has a good grasp on Jack’s psyche and his problems. As the book progresses and their twisted relationship unravels things aren’t so clear.

Not for the faint of heart, this book challenges the understanding of what a healthy relationship should look like and what love means.  I was satisfied at the end but wow, what a ride.

Dan Calley is a new narrator to me and one I won’t hesitate to listen to again.  The story takes place in England and Dan’s accent is perfect.  He also has a very deep voice that works with these characters although he is able to vary the pitch according to the age of the secondary characters.

If you’re looking for a mind fuck, this is the book for you.  Be warned, though, because you won’t want to put it down. So don’t…

My rating:

10/10 pots of Gold (100% Recommended) – Compares to 5/5 Stars

Website | Facebook| Twitter: jackl_pyke | Goodreads

Jack blames her dark writing influences on living close to one of England’s finest forests. Having grown up hearing a history of kidnappings, murders, strange sightings, and sexual exploits her neck of the woods is renowned for, Jack takes that into her writing, having also learned that human coping strategies for intense situations can sometimes make the best of people have disastrously bad moments. Redeeming those flaws is Jack’s drive.

Jack’s also a contract editor, working with Dreamspinner Press, DSP Publications, and Harmony Ink. She’s also had the absolute pleasure of editing exceedingly talented indie authors like Adrienne Wilder and Joseph Lance Tonlet.

Basically this all means Jack finds herself incredibly humbled to write, edit, and read solely in the M/M romance genre, with a particular love of psychological thrillers, BDSM, and crime.