I liked this variation on a master/slave relationship because it looks at a situation where the structure of slave versus master is dictated by society, rather than what the participants want. Seeing two men come together who have no choice about the 'official' way of how they interact was fascinating, because the difference to the actual interaction provided some real tension. Todd's fear of being caught for treating Nick as an equal (as much as possible) was just as real as Nick's fear of having his life in the hands of another man; one he doesn't even know all that well.

All of that being said, Nick and Todd still end up in sexually dominant/submissive roles. While the sex was hot, I was a little disappointed that Elizabeth Noble didn't take the concept of 'unwanted slavery' further. But then, maybe that was too much to ask in the first book? Maybe it was a step too far for them to take that quickly? Or maybe the message is that their sexual behavior depends entirely on societal expectations? That, I must admit, would really annoy me as a conclusion. However, we are not there yet. This is the first book in a series, and one that promises to be interesting for many reasons. So I will keep reading to see where this ends up.

If you like to read about potential future societies, and are interested in the effects of slavery condoned by society on humans on both sides of the master/slave equation, you may like this book. ( )

4 stars. Glad the free short whetted my appetite for more of this couple. Interesting 'new' world with it's own set of rules and regulations. Looking forward to reading more of these guys (and from this author!). ( )