The Delaneys And Me [Kindle Edition]

"The Delaneys and Me" by Anne Brooke is an entertaining and witty ménage short story that provides a good mix of suspense and humour for a relatively angst free read. The story is written in the first person through the central character of Liam, who is quite cheeky and possesses a sarcastic disposition providing for a tongue-in-cheek narrative.

Anne Brooke builds the suspense from the beginning of the story well-capturing Liam's fear as he continuously looks over his shoulder, awaiting the moment when the Delaney twins, Johnny and Mark, will show up to take their retribution. And show up they do to give Liam an ultimatum as to his choice of punishment - bodily harm or sex with the twins all night long, for as long as they want, in any way they want, until Liam doesn't know who he is and is "as sore as a cold razor on a winter morning." Of course Liam chooses sex.

The menacing twins put Liam through his paces, some of which are humiliating, all the while holding a gun on him thereby prolonging his fear and anticipation as he awaits his fate. For his part, Liam accepts their bidding like a trooper, growing progressively more daring in goading Johnny and Mark into bed.

The author cleverly handles Liam's predicament which, as he puts it, is a choice between "terrible injury or rape," and diffuses what is an uncomfortable subject-matter for many readers through Liam's resourcefulness and tongue-in-cheek attitude. If sex with the twins is the only viable choice of punishment then he may as well enjoy it.

Another element that adds to the slight edginess of this story is the author's characterization of enigmatic Johnny and Mark, which not only heightens the suspense and sexual tension in the story but also provides a level of unpredictability as to its outcome. There are several instances throughout the story and right up until the end when the reader is simply not sure as to what the twins will do. The build up throughout the story leads to only one road - a three way between Liam, Johnny and Mark. And while I expected a much hotter sex scene between the three, the scene itself is interesting in that it reveals the true nature of the relationship between Johnny and Mark.

"The Delaneys and Me" by Anne Brooke is a well written, slightly edgy and fun erotic romp that I enjoyed and believe others will as well. The manner in which the story ends leaves the door open to future possibilities for these three, and in particular in respect of the relationship between Johnny and Mark, which I'm sure will delight fans of this author should she decide to further explore their relationship.

Mark and Johnny Delaney have a reputation--a criminal reputation. They're mobsters, and pretty much everyone knows it. When Liam very publicly breaks up with the Delaneys' cousin Brandon, he makes some threats which he quickly regrets. He tells Brandon he's going to go to the police and spill everything he knows, and then he proceeds to pour a bottle of champagne over his ex boyfriend's head.

The very next day the Delaney Twins show up to confront Liam. They're both calm and cool, but also very straightforward. They inform Liam they've always liked him, but they simply cannot tolerate his public threats. Liam's got to punished, no question about it. They offer him a choice though. Either they can shoot his balls off or he can spend the evening with them and be their sex toy.

It's not a difficult choice.

Before the action begins the twins take Liam to the same restaurant where he'd made a scene the previous evening, where he is properly subjected to their unique brand of public humiliation. They then head back to Liam's apartment where they use him as their slave boy. Everybody still has all their private parts at the end of the story, but Liam is left wanting a repeat performance, and a realization about himself begins to awaken within his own mind.

This story touches on some basic themes of BDSM. The fear of retribution is a very powerful motivator, and it is interesting to see how this element is interwoven with Liam's desire to be used. He starts to realize how desperately he needs the domination, yet he also has this threat of violence looming over his head. The gun and the powerful influence of the Delaneys are the tools which are used to control the sub, yet in reality it is Liam's craving which truly motivates him to please. The real power the Delaneys have over him proves to have nothing to do with Liam's fear of losing his testicles. Instead, it is a fear of losing his Masters.

This was just a taste, and it left me wanting more, more, more... which is why upon finishing this read I quickly picked up the sequel, Entertaining the Delaneys. Anne Brooke is a masterful storyteller, particularly when it comes to shorts. Although this little gem is light and fun, it also contains a lot to think about. For those who appreciate powerplay and the BDSM dynamic, this one's a must read!

Review by Jeff

P.S....Did I mention this contains TWINCEST? (And they're identical!)

Sassy young man offends gangster twins. Must make amends through threeway sex with them. He enthusiastically complies. Witty, sexy, fun.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars