Are the odds of such a meet-cute as this happening in real life slim to none? Of course. Luckily, this is a romance, so when Neil accidentally “outs” himself as interested in kink, Alexander is more intrigued than horrified. As teachers, they have to be relatively careful about who finds out about their interest in this lifestyle, even when two queer teachers initiating a relationship is nothing to blink at in this small town.

Thus, Alexander takes Neil under this wing, and the fun starts. Their initial encounters are sexy AF, despite the emphasis on kink rather than traditional “getting to know you” activities intended to lead toward a committed relationship. Except the easy, natural friendship that grows between them means the line starts to blur whether the characters like it or not, despite Alexander’s stubborn resistance based on past experience. I’m a total sucker for the “idiots in love” trope, especially when it’s evident to everyone around them that a romantic relationship between the characters is inevitable. Neil and Alexander make a delightful couple, and I enjoyed the scenes in which they interact on a personal level as much as the kinkier scenarios.

Vaughn uses these characters to introduce us to an entire town filled with unique characters that I look forward to exploring further in the author’s planned linked series. Considering I devoured this book in a single evening, I have the feeling that I won’t be disappointed by future installments.

Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.