Lila Leigh Hunter

Graphic Exposure is the story of Shaun Foster, an architect, and August Westbrook a photographer. Both men are successful in their careers but both are searching for a particular kind of person to fill an important aspect of their lives. This story is told in third person from both Shaun’s and August’s, aka West’s, povs.



I want to give a little bit of background on this story before I start my review. Graphic Exposure was written for a prompt in the BDSM group here on Goodreads. Members submitted images with a blurb about how they imagined the story and added some requests. The authors took it from there. The original link is: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/17449824-10-16-15-graphic-exposure-by-lila-... Also, here is the NSFW image for those of you who aren’t members of the BDSM group:

I’m very excited for this book because this was my prompt! The author captured my request perfectly. From the effeminate but dominate, photographer, West, to the submissive, but confident bear, Shaun. West’s command was clear throughout the plot. Shaun was submissive, but there was a strength to him in his protectiveness towards West, his confidence in mingling with people in social situations and of his successful architectural business.

The two often referred to each other as either ‘boy’ or ‘Sir,’ but they also affectionately used their first and pet names. I liked that they used other names rather than only using BDSM forms of expression, which tended to keep the reader seeing the two men as only a Master and his sub and not as men who had lives outside of that particular dynamic. When using first names and pet names, I could feel their love and caring for each other come through clearly.

I don’t want to forget to mention the cover. I love it! It is one of the best covers I’ve seen IMHO and it fits the story perfectly. I’ve heard a second edition of this book is coming out that will be longer, and I’m guessing tidied up, but I’m really hoping the cover doesn’t change.

The author did a great job filling the prompt in this short story. She covered the meeting of Shaun and West, their ‘second chance,’ and how they navigated the establishment of a new relationship. I read the requirements for the writers when they wrote for the BDSM group, and I know they didn’t have much time to polish up their writing or to write long stories, so I suggest taking that into account when reading this first edition which the author wrote for FREE. I’m really looking forward to the longer edition of this book, and the second book in the series which I think involves West’s father.

When I read a story written to a prompt, I rate the book a lot on how well the author followed the prompter’s request. Since this was my prompt, I can tell you that the author did a great job. It contained everything I wanted. I only wish that it was longer, but I understand why it wasn’t. I’m going to hold the five stars for the second edition, because I’m sure that one will be even better than this one. I give this version of Graphic Exposure, 4 Stars. Thanks, Lila Leigh, for choosing my prompt!


… (más)

This was sitting on my kobo for a very long time. Part of that was because in the beginning it ended on a cliffhanger and I wanted to read the whole story in one sitting.

I started but stopped like ten minutes in. Few reasons:
- Calling someone your own age 'Kid' annoys the bloody hell out of me. Just a personal thing.

- I... Got... Bored. *runs away*


*came back a bit calmer* I don't really know why! But when Franco was talking I.. Nop.

- I hate it when perfectly good names get westernised. Franco became Frank.. Why exactly? Gah I hate it when people do that. They got a name for a reason and if they don't want to change it why the fuck should you? So lazy. Learn how to enunciate it or get out. Lots of teachers hate 'foreign' sounded names and ask the child if they can pronounce it different. No you can't learn, something new you lazy fuck. Just because it's foreign doesn't mean it reason enough to change it. I do get complaining when you have a perfect sounding Dutch names and someone changes the spelling because 'it's more fun that way!'. Yeah great fun for the rest of your life telling people it's like that name but spelled different.

I'm ranting.. *putting this in a spoiler*

Maybe I will come back to this because the story letter sounded interesting and apparently the writer did stick to it.… (más)

The Midwest, Iowa to be precise, is the setting for this unexpected reunion of high school lovers who separated due to different ambitions but never quite managed to forget each other. Fifteen years later, Clay has become CEO of a major West Coast travel company and Aaron is a leader in environmentally friendly farming technology and a professor at the university they once shared. Both men are proud of what they achieved professionally, but neither has a happy personal life. In a tale of “the one who got away” that takes place in the Hawkeye State, Clay and Aaron have to figure out if they can rekindle the feelings they once shared while managing their different ambitions better than when they were younger.

Clay needed to leave his hometown to fulfill his ambition of creating a successful business, but now that he has, he starts to wonder what he may have missed. It takes a medical scare for him to realize he may not have forever, and he sets out to explore “what might have been” with Aaron. But no matter how determined he is, winning Aaron back is not as easy as he may have hoped.

Aaron is proud of his achievements, he is a respected member of the university teaching body, and on track to obtain tenure. He is also deep in the closet, and seeing his ex again might just endanger all his plans. At first he has no way out since he has been appointed the admin liaison for Clayton’s commencement speech. But the interaction affects him deeply, and Clayton’s suggestion of dating for a year is much more tempting than Aaron wants to admit.

Aaron and Clay can still feel the attraction between them fifteen years later, but chemistry was never a problem for them. It’s everything else they struggled with, and it was fascinating to watch them deal with the issues – including the fact that Clayton “walked away” – now that they are older and wiser in many respects. Their tussle with reality is credible, emotionally touching, and I was cheering them on all the way.

If you like reunions or second chances, if you think some lovers are just destined to be together but need time to grow up before they can figure out how to be in a relationship together, and if you’re looking for a cute read that is as romantic as it is heartwarming, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (más)

I am always incredibly grateful for the wonderful authors who take the time and energy to write these free stories for their fans. It is just delightful and gives all of us a great sense of community. Unfortunately, not everyone is going to love every story. It is obvious Ms. Hunter is a new author and I would like to thank her for her first effort and encourage her to keep writing if it is her passion, but the skill level was very low here and actually reminded me of my WebTV days in the late 90's reading Mulder and Scully fan fiction. The story was weak, the characters immature and I personally hated the fact asshole MC #1 got his HEA. He was a douchebag extreme.

I apologize if this comes off as me looking a gift horse in the mouth, but it is my honest opinion. One I hope the author will not take personally. Nothing would make me happier than to read a killer, kick-ass M/M romance from her in a few years, once she has time to perfect her craft.… (más)