| Title | : | Out Of Focus |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1943426767 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781943426768 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 386 |
| Publication | : | First published August 2, 2011 |
When Jordan Steele hires the photographers from his sister’s wedding to shoot some promo pictures of his stallions, the sparks fly. There’s something about them, something that’s anything but vanilla, and he wants a taste of it. He’s inexperienced, but curious, and Angel and Dante are more than happy to show him the ropes.
Jordan is exactly what they need and they’re exactly what he needs, but when emotions come into play, he may be more than they bargained for. After all, the one thing Angel and Dante can’t give each other is submission. If one of them can get love and submission from Jordan, will the other be pushed out of the picture?
This 100,000 word novel was previously published.
Out Of Focus Reviews
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Holy shit, I can't wrap my mind around the fact that I just read this now, 6 years after it was released. I love emotional, kinky BDSM, passionate threesomes and I simply adore LA Witt's writing so... the fuck?
Anyway, 5 stars and it goes on the "absolute favorites" shelf.
If you haven't read this and like BDSM, threesomes and LA Witt, don't be an idiot like I was. Read this NOW!
Highly recommended!
This review is also posted at
Gay Book Reviews
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4.25 stars
Hot, sexy, and only a little angsty, this is everything a menage story should be. Alternating first-person POVs pretty much guarantee a personal connection with each MC: Doms Dante and Angel, who have been together for 12 years and are life, as well as business, partners, and Jordan, the bride's brother Dante and Angel meet at a wedding they shoot (they are professional photographers), who turns out to be the perfect sub and more.
The men start off as friends, with Angel and Dante photographing Jordan's horses, but the sexual tension between them is palpable.
The scenes here were intense and vivid, but the emotions were not swept aside. The book dealt realistically with the implications of a menage relationship: the new person not wanting to feel like a disposable third wheel, the long-term partners not wanting to be replaced, the risks and possible repercussions of fully giving your heart to not one but two lovers.
Gorgeously written and evocative, Out of Focus offered a glimpse into the inner workings of a relationship that very much proves the Rule of Thirds (in life as well as in design): sometimes the unbalaced and unexpected works precisely because it pushes limits, creating beauty in imperfection.
As a bonus, there were plenty of cute critters, including bossy cats, one loyal dog, and baby horses. Loved this one. -
I am SO not going to be in the popular camp here but this book didn't do much for me.
By now I have read many L.A. Witt books and I tend to enjoy them. This, however, was a miss for my tastes. I don't read much menage and it takes extra effort to make a menage-relationship seem real and workable to me. When it comes to menages, I'm a skeptic. Here, the issues that I had were not related to the menage aspect but were more stylistic fails.
Things that didn't work for me:
1) POV changes from chapter to chapter, all written in first person POV. Um, confusing much? I honestly had a lot of trouble telling Angel and Dante's voices apart. They kind of blurred together and I found myself saying, "Wait, is this the one that only tops?" and "Is this the one that doesn't like dogs?" I just didn't like the POV changes and it bothered me for the whole book.
2) The sex content. I don't say this often but there was too much sex in this book for me. You know that Seinfeld where they talk about how naked vacuuming isn't sexy? Like taking something sexy (like being naked) and doing it so often and in strange settings that it becomes unsexy? "Bad naked"? The sex content in this book was so repetitive and so often, that it kind of went "bad sexy" for me. The sex became my naked vacuuming. At first it was hot and then it kind of became... not.
3) The way that the guys treated Eli. Honestly, I just felt bad for him. Everyone was such a dick to him and acted like such arrogant rub-it-in-your-face jerks that it became distasteful for me.
4) The BSDM content. Maybe I'm just a jaded old kinky lady but I found the BDSM aspect of this book to be kind of... mundane.
The positives are that I didn't hate it and I can see how some people would really get into this one (most of my friends LOVE this!) but it just was kind of okay for me. -
♥♥♥ 3.5 STARS ♥♥♥
Dante James and Ryan 'Angel' Morgan have been together for twelve years. They have a photography business together and are both doms. It's been a while since they have had a submissive. They have had quite a few throughout the years with the same rules that none of them are to get emotionally attatched. One day while working at a wedding, they think they have found one. The only problem is that the guy they want is the bride's brother. Which means, the only relationship they can have, is a professional one, for now anyways.
Jordan Steele is ready to move on from his ex, even if his ex won't leave his house yet. He finds he is very much attracted to both Dante and Angel. He hires them to take promotional pictures of his stallions. The domininant sides of Dante and Angel is what lures Jordan in and calls to his submissive side. They give in to the sexual tension and it works out just fine... in the beginning. But what will they do when emotions start to get in the way?
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Holding my gaze, he said,"Do you trust me?"
"Of course I do."
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This book started really great. I was intrigued, excited and trying to figure out how they could have a sexual relationship with two doms in the picture. Then when I realized that we were getting all of their POV's, I was so freaking happy. But then not so much anymore. Why? Well, because it became really hard to know who's POV I was reading, especially when it would change within the chapter. It was in first person, which I have never had a problem with, but in this book I did. As I continued reading, I got a bit better at figuring out who I was reading, or when it finally mentioned which characters he was looking at. But other than that, I did enjoy getting into each of their minds. It helped a lot to understand where they were coming from.
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Angel's mouth against mine and Dante's lips against my neck was pure heaven.
Dante nipped my earlobe."So, would we have to twist your arm to get you to stay a while longer?"
"If you two keep kissing me like that, you'll have to twist my arm to make me leave."
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There was quite a bit of sex in this book without it being overwhelming. After all, that was what their agreement was about, a purely sexual one. Jordan needed to trust Dante and Angel, so they "played" alot. The sex was of the BDSM kind, and I don't know if this because I am a pervy weirdo, but it was a bit on the light side. I was waiting for something intense to occur and it didn't really happen, I needed more. Still, the sex was all kinds of steamy. Dante and Angel were great doms and Jordan was an enthusiastic submissive. I like the pace in which their relationship developed, making it more believable.● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
But God, I loved them. All the trust and the intimacy, all those conversations. The way they could be so gentle and so rough. The way they'd never made me feel like the outsider I was. Commanding, never belittling. Dominating, never domineering. How could I not fall in love with them?
"We're both in love with you."
"We both love you, Jordan."
"We're not going anywhere."
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Despite having all of their pov's, I couldn't really connect with all of them completely, at least not until things started getting more emotional towards the end. I did however, feel Jordan's doubts at making their relationship work beyond sex. Not because they didn't get along, but because Dante and Angel had been together for twelve years, that's a lot of history for Jordan to just waltz in on. I felt like he could easily have been the third wheel, but I am happy that didn't happen. I LOVED the fact that they COMMUNICATED! It was wonderful when they could tell each other just how they were feeling.
Jordan had an ex boyfriend Eli who was still planning on moving out of his house, but hadn't gotten around to it because he was jobless. To be honest, I don't know why Eli was even in the book, he didn't really add to the story, they just made fun of him all the time. It was to the point where anytime Eli showed up, I just rolled my eyes because I knew what was coming.● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Lying here with them, all I could think was that Dante was absolutely right: this was worth the risk. I couldn't predict the future, but I was content with the present and what I stood to gain if it worked out. Yes, this was right.
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Overall, this book was quite an enjoyable one. Sure, it didn't have enough of the BDSM I am use to, but still plenty of sexiness. I liked reading about all three of them interacting. I also liked that each character had their own personalities that made them different from one another, but also had things that made them all connect. The ending was a good one and it left me wanting to read more about the love they had for eachother. There wasn't any angst in this book and I never got upset with any of them. It was just a good read.
-
This was hot.
Dante and Angel have been in a relationship together for the past 12 years and it it obvious they love each other. Because Dante and Angel are both doms, they feel the need for a submissive third party every once in a while.
They find him at a wedding they are photographing. Jordan, the bride’s brother is immediately attracted to both men. But of course he thinks it’s just his luck Dante and Angel are taken, by each other.
When Dante and Angel come to Jordan’s farm to do a photoshoot, it’s obvious the attraction is mutual. And even though Jordan has no experience with BDSM, he sure as hell wants to try with these two gorgeous men.
I loved how this was pretty low angst. These two beautiful men are so much in love. And Jordan was perfect for them.
The sex scenes were hot and there was no awkwardness or jealousy. There is a tiny bit of that once they all realize they have feelings for one another, but they talk it out pretty quickly.
One thing that bothered me was Jordan’s ex, who still lived with him. I kept expecting something to happen with him. (I wanted him to become this raging ax murderer so that Dante and Angel had to save Jordan…)
But no such luck...
But other than that is was hot, it was sexy and I had a great time reading this! -
**** 4,5 Rule of Third stars ****
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"...we're as close to soulmates anyone can get. (...) Who's to say we only get one? What if you're min, I'm yours...and he's ours?"
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Read 2013.
Reread August 2015.
I loved rereading this. I remember it left a lasting impression on me the first time I read it.
I loved all three characters, Dante, Ryan (nick name, Angel) and Jordan. The strong, tender love between Dante and Ryan (Angel). They're both Doms, so occasionally they take on a sub to have play sessions with so they get the submission they both crave. Enter Jordan and the UST (Unresolved Sexual Tension) is through the roof! I love how Dante and Ryan met Jordan. I loved how Jordan reacted to Dante and Ryan. I loved the way Jordan grew and developed himself, and finally stood his ground with his ex who still lived with him. I mean, what the heck? I can't really understand what point the ex played in the plot, he could easily have been left out. The focus were on Jordan, Dante and Ryan.
The POV is first person and it alternates between all three characters. I really like that since I get to experience what all of them are feeling at the same time or in the same situation.
My absolute favorite scene was the first photo shoot in Dante and Ryan's studio. The build up was one of the most intense moments I've ever read. It seared itself into my mind the first time I read it and I still remember it two years later.
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Nothing in the room was loud, but it was anything but quiet. The pop of the flash and the zing when it recycled. The snaå of the shutter. My heartbeat. My own slow, uneven breathing.
Snap. Pop. Zing. Heartbeat. Heartbeat. Heartbeat. Snap. Snap. Snap. Pop. Zing.
(...)
"Wait," Ryan said.
My hands froze, and I looked up, eyebrows raised.
"Slower," he said.
I moistened my lips, then continued unbuttoning my shirt, forcing my unsteady hands to work slowly.
Snap. Pop. Zing. Snap. Pop. Zing.
"Good, just like that," Ryan said softly. His approval sent a rush of...of something through my veins.
Snap. Pop. Zing. Snap. Pop. Zing.
(...)
Then came Ryan's voice, and with four words, he tilted the scales(...):
"Get on your knees."
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Gaaaaah!!! Brilliant using a photo shoot as a stage for testing out dom/sub feelings. I looved the way the "sound affects" added to the tension.
I wouldn't call this a heavy bdsm book however. There's more of a dominance and submission theme. Dante and Ryan are dominant men who wants to dominate in the bedroom, and Jordan wants to submit and told what to do. There's some flogging and a scene with hot wax (which was, well.. hot). I would have liked a bit more build up in their scenes, though. They had a tendency to go straight for the sucking or fucking, which was hot, don't get me wrong, but sometimes less is more.
There was a short hard part to read when they started realizing they were developing feelings for each other. I felt for them all, and I was the more happy when the finally ended up together. The ending, or epilogue was so sweet.
Recommended.
-
I wasn’t exactly sure how this was going to work out but I’ve read many of LA Witt’s books and she has never failed me yet. I loved her “Out of Uniform” series so figured if she could bring the guys in that series together while they were fighting the DADT policy of the military...she should have no problem with two middle aged Doms that had been in a serious relationship for 12 years. I really liked the character of the sub, Jordan... that became the third player here. He questioned what he wasn’t sure of...expressed his opinions and just didn’t “give in”. The first part of the story... the setup was just a bit too long but the remaining 2/3 of the book was incredibly incredible. It's quite an easy read.... and all three guys were perfect together. The reader of this one, Nick Russo, did so much to make the story even better by the beautiful voices he gave each of the guys. I loved, loved, loved the characters in this book. The is a short sequel called Before There Were Three that tells the story of how Ryan (Angel) and Dante met and came to be together all those years ago.
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I love this book and I'm always looking for a reason to reread it and visit Dante, Angel and Jordan again. It's sweet, it's real and it's so, and I mean SO hot. This is just one of those reads that I keep coming back to again and again.
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Two Doms in an established relationship and very much in love, meet a gorgeous guy who they both fall into lust with on sight when they meet him at his sisters wedding ( they're photographers ) and realising he has possible submissive. tendancies, subtly seduce him into becoming their next sub and Bob's your Uncle we get a pretty sizzling ménage going on!
At first its just a three way partnership that suits them all but as time progresses feelings start to change and lust turns to.... well I think you can guess the rest but that really doesn't matter, if you love ménage then you'll most likely really enjoy this one because Lori is great at getting the chemistry and UST jumping off the page with her MC's and it certainly does between these three guys.
There's some minor angst thrown in and some soul searching but its nothing too distracting and the love scenes are hot and steamy.
Really liked this but then again there's not any of L.A's stories that I haven't not liked or loved. Always find her books a great sit back and enjoy, sexy read so I wasn't expecting anything less. Great. -
FUCK YEAH GUYS, THIS BOOK GUYS.. THIS FUCKING BOOK.
THIS BOOK. GUYS. THIS BOOK. GUYS!
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Loved. Honestly, she's another author jam. Never disappoints. Several of her books have become comfort reads. This is one of those.
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1,5-2 stars
Out Of Focus was an excellent......
.....non-chemical substitute for sleeping pills.
I couldn`t connect with the characters.They were like cardboard figures - somehow unreal and without any warmth.(The two Doms were more like "let`s play with whip and clamps" than the real thing and the inexperienced sub was just too naive...)
I don`t mind threesomes and usually I like BDSM-themed stories,but here both couldn`t convince me.
AND - way too much sex! ( I can`t remember the last time I said that about a book..) I`ve read descriptions of doing the laundry that were more passionate than the sex/BDSM-scenes in this book.
The plot - a few job descriptions,sex,falling in love,more sex,jealousy and insecurities,sex(!)and haaaeeeaaaa....
I was looking forward to reading this for a long time and now I`m just a touch disappointed.
Plus point - the animals! -
story: meh
narration: meh
even the epilogue: meh
At 25% it was a dnf for me and I skipped to the end. This was not for me. The author has books, I liked far more. -
I’ll start with the bad & end with the good. I’ve discovered on my kinky journey down the rabbit hole that I like to be made to feel uncomfortable, anxious, rattled even by either BDSM or fetish play. In the absence of that, then I need to be in the headspace of the sub or the Dom/me, preferably both, & understand why they enjoy the game. I like the control aspects of D/s either relinquishing it or taking it. I want to go on that ride. There should be some trepidation on the part of the sub. Some 'WTF am I doing?' moments. Conversely, there should be some mindfuckery on the part of the Dom/me. What gets them off? BD? SM? Fetish play? All of the above? It's heady stuff to bend someone to your will & I want to feel their feels. I got none of that in Out of Focus.
Granted Jordan is a newbie so it would’ve been ridiculous to shackle him to a rack in a ball gag & a hood & begin CBT right out of the gate, but I would’ve liked more progression towards that. Then again, I’ve still no clue what either Dom here is into. I think Ryan is into some pain play but I’ve no idea why he likes it or what he gets out of it. All the play seemed very mechanical to me. It lacked that connection that I like to see between Dom/me & sub. Slap palm with flogger a few times, slap back of sub with said flogger, dip ladle into pot of hot wax & ladle in serpentine manner. I liken it to printing a recipe off the internet vs. watching the chef make it; you get the nuances with one, not the other.
In Out of Focus land apparently domination equates to: strip, get on your knees & give me & my boyfriend a mind numbing blowjob. All I ever got out of either Dante or Ryan’s perspective was how “fucking beautiful” Jordan was looking up at them with adoration & “submission”. By all accounts (and there are several accounts) Jordan gives a whirligig of a blowjob; he’s the Hoover of all Hoover’s. I get it. Every time with the kissing the back of his neck, running their fingers through his hair, the amazing mouth on Jordan, how fantastic he feels & the ubiquitous seeing white blah, blah, blah. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
The excessive amount of equine & photography talk bogged down the pacing for me along with the Eli character. Honestly, I kept waiting for him to have some significance somewhere along the way instead of just being an annoyance. Nope. No relevance whatsoever.
The thing I enjoyed most was Ms. Witt’s aptitude for dialogue. She fleshes out these characters through their conversations with one another & lets their personalities shine, even secondary characters. I could feel how devoted Ryan & Dante are to one another just by their familiarity & the way they interact. They have entire unspoken conversations with each other. Ms. Witt demonstrates a flair for highlighting the easy comfort & subconscious routines that happen between two people who have known & been in each other’s lives for a significant period of time.
In this same vein, I appreciated & enjoyed how attracted Dante & Ryan still are to one another after 12 yrs & that there was no envy, jealousy or drama when it came to Jordan. They both wanted him. They both liked watching the other with him. They both are wildly attracted to him. It even got more sexually diverse towards the end which I enjoyed. I even got some angst regarding the dynamics & possible pitfalls of a triad relationship. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough to save the book for me. I liked all of these characters but it wasn't all that engaging & I think the BDSM aspects could’ve been deleted altogether. -
This book is enjoyable for what it is - the hot, fast, erotic story of two Doms finding the sub they won't walk away from. As long as you don't go into it expecting the extended, complicated, and messy parts of building an M/M/M relationship outside the bedroom, it has three interesting men, and nicely developing heat.
Dante and Angel are two professional photographers who've been together for twelve years. In the first couple of years of their relationship they figured out that their love was rock solid, but that they were both Doms. Since then, they've played with a series of subs in the bedroom and studio, some for an hour or a night, some for a month or maybe a year, but none seriously. They'd find someone who was interested in two Doms, and have fun. Then, at a wedding photo shoot, they meet Jordan, the brother of the bride. At first he's just one more hot guy who might be a blast to teach about being a sub. When things go deeper than they expected, all the familiar relationship balances are thrown off.
Jordan's a few months out of a three year relationship, although he hasn't managed to kick his out-of-work ex out of his spare room yet. He's realized he's interested in BDSM, and maybe even craves pain with his sex sometimes, but he's never done anything more than online research. When two hot guys he's been drooling over give him a clear invitation, it only takes a minute to say yes. But pretty soon, he realizes he's not simply enjoying the sex and the subbing, he's falling fast and hard for both of them. How can he handle being the third wheel in a decade-long relationship, and why would they even want that to last?
This story has a nice balance of the guys with their traits, skills, and weaknesses. I particularly fell for Jordan, and also liked the interactions between Dante and Angel. The sex and BDSM are hot and build pretty believably, with variety and clarity. (I had an issue with how soon they used a gag on Jordan, but that's my personal hang-up. The BDSM is sane and consensual.) It 's perhaps a bit too perfect, given Jordan's total inexperience, but their smooth mutual understanding in the bedroom is the hook on which their relationship hangs. There's enough shown to the reader of their two professions - photography, and horse breeding and training - to give them lives and context outside the erotica, and their emotions and concerns feel real and intense. I enjoyed the three-person alternating first POVs (and only occasionally had to double-check whose I was in.)
If that's what you're looking for in a story, then this one delivers. It does not, however, address what comes after "we're all in love, let's give it a shot." The inevitable jealousies, money and job issues and where-do-we-live, the coming out as a trio, the times when the Doms disagree and the sub is caught in the middle - all happen off page between the last chapter and HEA epilogue. So if that's the attraction of M/M/M for a reader, then this may fall a little short. I missed that - I really liked these guys and was very curious how some of that would work out. But I enjoyed what was here, in the development of a very attractive thruple that I believe could have that HEA. -
I can't three star this one because it is nicely written, but so many aspects of the story didn't work for me. I didn't feel a real connection between this trio - between Angel and Dante? Oh hell yes, but when they add Jordan into the equasion... not so much. Of course it's hot. L.A. Witt can write one heck of a fine BDSM scene, and these are really well done and completely worthy of four stars, I just wish I'd bought them falling in love with Jordan.
-
4.75 stars
When Angel and Dante first saw Jordan at his sister’s wedding they immediately fell in lust with him. As business and life partners they had shared everything over the past 12 years, including the occasional submissive, and Jordan’s tells were obvious, which would make him the ideal fling.
Jordan was an astute businessman, a horse breeder and trainer, good looking, intelligent, fun, and just what Angel and Dante needed and they set the stage for his seduction which was an incredible scene. After they got together the problems started because this wasn’t their usual “have fun and move on when it ends and no one gets hurt” dalliance. Neither Angel nor Dante wanted to let Jordan go because they started having softer feelings for him and they fit together as a threesome.
As the relationship progressed they fell in love, leading to jealousy and guilt rearing their ugly heads as Angel realized an important truth: Jordan could give Dante something he couldn’t, and it seemed to signal the end of their partnership since it was obvious that Dante wasn’t prepared to give up Jordan and therefore he (Angel) could end up as the odd man out.
Out of Focus has three 1st person points of view which is quite unusual and difficult to pull off, but after a while I began to like the changing perspectives of the main characters as this gave me more information about their thoughts than the usual glimpse of each MC if he’s not the narrator in a 1st person story. In this situation I could understand each character’s motivations and fears from the get go, and while this format lost some of the mystery in terms of how each person felt about the other and the complexity of their issues, it worked for me.
L.A. Witt has fast become one of my favourite authors and I like her writing style, the fact that she takes risks, and while some work better than others, her characters are always vibrant and three dimensional and her prose and dialogue are better than most.
In Out of Focus Jordan’s business gave me an insight into horses and the horse breeding/training industry which was nicely interwoven into the plot. It was obvious that Jordan adored his horses and he treated them like his kids. Angel was crazy about animals too which made him bond with Jordan, and it was wonderful to see the tough Dom interacting with the horses and showing his caring side, which added another layer to his character. Dante, who was as dominant as Angel, was a chicken around most large animals and Jordan had his work cut out to help him overcome his fears. The characters’ different personalities worked well within the context of the story and demonstrated that the D/s aspect, while it was important, was a very small element in this very complicated relationship.
My favourite character in this book was Angel who was so multi faceted and nuanced I never knew which “Angel” I would get in each chapter. He was at the same time dominant as well as extremely sensitive towards Jordan’s needs as he fell head over heels in love with him and loved him as much as Dante, something that was unexpected and puzzling to him, and I thought that his vulnerability when he felt he would lose them both was touching.
Most of the time when I finish an M/M/M romance it’s clear that the relationship would not stand the test of time because that spark and love were not there between the MC’s, but Out of Focus was the exception for me as I thought that the characterizations worked really well and that the protagonists liked as well as loved each other. In addition, the excitement was off the scale which made all the difference. The difficulties of a three way relationship weren’t minimized and each protagonist worried about who was expendable if something should go wrong. Would their life and memories before Jordan make him the third wheel and therefore not as valuable? What about Dante – could he continue to satisfy two such different men? Angel couldn’t give Dante what he needed, so was he out?
I would have loved to rate this book as 5 stars but there’s a very good reason why I didn’t. Chapter 18 really threw me – not the content, but the fact that there were 9 changes in the points of view in 10 PDF pages, which confused the hell out of me. Most of the time I didn’t know whose head I was in! I understand that writers experiment to keep their writing fresh, but I had to re-read this chapter several times to figure out who was saying/doing what to whom. This was my only negative about the book, other than I wished Jordan had enough balls to kick loser Eli (his ex)to the curb a lot earlier.
I think Out of Focus will really move you if you like stories about threesomes. -
Seriously sexy menage from Witt
There's not many authors I've read who have as deft a hand when it comes to not only making a menage work but adding elements of BDSM into the mix as LA Witt.
This one is deliciously sensual and smoking hot but with a powerful emotional connection too which helps to ground all the sexy times into a real relationship. -
Books read & reviewed: 1️⃣5️⃣1️⃣🥖4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
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1️⃣🌟, that feeling of how shit the book you picked is.
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➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
I love a pretty good gay romance BDSM book, I even read an entire series book series with 10+ books of it by Cara Dee so I know what is the Best balance of Smut scenes, Character Development, character depth and The plot itself.
Anyways this book is just pure smut,. It has no redeeming qualities whatsoever it's just two doms and one sub Who are all interested in photography And the book basically Centers around that and BDSM stuff..
At the time I was in the 75% Mark I was literally just skimming,. Skimming to the point where even if I "accidentally" Flipped five Pages ahead, It's still the three of them having sex. It's kinda tiring ngl
I never fucking cared about any one of the three main characters And even if we have three different Point of views all constantly switching, It just feels like all of them are the same cookie cutter layout character Inside a very "steamy" gay BDSM romance book. IDGAF BOUT DIS,. ITS MORE REPETITIVE Than 120 days of Sodom! AND THAT IS THE EPITOMY OF REPETITION BECAUSE THATS THE ENTIRE POINT ☝️ OF 120 DAYS OF SODOM,. Is basically an excuse for this author to just write ao3 fanfiction but make it with original sounding characters that are just there for sex purposes.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaa, bye bruh, nothing here is interesting anyway,. Just endless smut,. Wattpad exists already, don't infest literature with it..
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DAAATE: WEDNESDAY, APROUL 2, 2205
WwIORD COUNT:V;: 109k Wotrds, Pretty long kinda
2nd REAAHD IN IDK WHAT MONTH THIS IS (AFRIUL)
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*Pre-Read✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
Eh, bdsm gay books 4 a change mmm. -
3.75
Hmmm, I used to think I'm not so much into reading stories with strong BDSM content, so I'm kinda wondering why most of the books I've read in the last week have distinct BDSM elements? And how come I liked them so much? Hmmm... food for thought. ANYWAY, Out of Focus doesn't only have a strong BDSM focus, it's also a ménage story. Ah, ménage stories. Gotta love them.
Ryan and Dante are a couple and have been for 12 years. They're rock solid and still deeply in love - their relationship is the kind everybody dreams of. Even their professional lives have converged as they're working together as very successful photographers. The only slightly difficult part in the whole deal is that both, Ryan and Dante, are into the kinky stuff. And that they're both Doms. So while their sex life is satisfying and beyond hot, there's a craving in both of them that neither can fulfill. And for that gap to close, every now and then they invite a sub into their bed, for a one time deal or for longer. There's only one rule: their relationship is sacred. As soon as something more than the intimacy and trust needed for a functioning Dom/Sub relationship develops, they cut the ropes.
But then, there comes Jordan. Jordan breeds and trains horses, he's gorgeous, and he's the sub Ryan and Dante have been dreaming of for a long time. There's a chemistry and a connection there beyond anything either of them has experienced - but it's all about sex. It has to be. So what to do when the realisation settles in that this arrangement between the three of them has progressed into something that has the potential not only to leave one or all devastated, but also to break up the perfect relationship Ryan and Dante have led for so long? Because when there's three people involved, one of them has to be the third wheel, the odd one out. Or maybe not?
I really liked this story. Admittedly, some of the BDSM scenes pushed me a bit to my limit sometimes, but the fact that things were enjoyed by all of them so clearly, that Ryan and Dante were very caring and attentive, and that the Dom/Sub relationship never intruded into life outside the bedroom definitely helped me cope with anything slightly outside my own comfort zone. The multiple first person narration (you get the perspective of all three of them, sometimes even within one chapter) helped also with that - you can see the difference between their acts and their feelings, between the outwards appearance and the actual thought.
I loved the fact that every one of them had things they were absolutely passionate about as well as weaknesses, fears and insecurities. It endeared them all to me . There were other times they annoyed me, though - .
I'd have loved to see more "together time" and a bit less sex, to be honest. And I'd have really liked to see more of the time after the three .
So, overall an enjoyable and definitely recommendable read. If you're not turned off by BDSM or threesome relationship stories. Or by A LOT of sex. :-D -
I'm only giving this 3.5 stars, not because it isn't an enjoyable read, but because it contains an abundance of one of my pet peeves, namely, the way an author deals (or DOESN'T deal) with describing a character's removal of his shoes and socks when undressing. (Stay with me here, there is a review coming up, eventually.) i.e. A character comes in from horseback riding and his Dom orders him to strip as soon as he walks in the door. He then takes his t-shirt off, shucks his jeans along with his boxers and "stands there, naked". Now, my question is, how did he get those jeans off over his boots? Not a major question I grant you, but enough of one to be a distraction, especially if you live in my head. More distracting yet, is that the Dom then puts wrist and ankle restraints on the sub. Now I'm wondering, does the Dom have a set of very large ankle restraints that go over his sub's boots?...and if so, where can I get a pair?
Seriously though, when an author dismisses details like that, I wonder what else I'm supposed to be imagining that he/she's left out. Am I missing something or is this just sloppy writing? If it's sloppy writing, how can I take the rest of the book seriously?
Anyway, this book concerns an unusual 3 way relationship, in that there are 2 Doms and one sub (my favorite kind of 3 way). I stayed with the story despite quite a bit of repetitive rumination that goes on in each of the characters' minds. Additionally, each chapter is told from the POV of one of the characters, which is confusing at times, especially in the case of the 2 Doms. Not only do we get to 'hear' what a character thinks about something, like all moving in together etc, but we get to hear what the other characters speculate he's thinking, making the whole thing a bit cerebral. Having said all that, the inner monologues help create the believability that 3 people could realistically make a relationship like this work, basically because all 3 of them lead in the formation of the relationship with their minds instead of their cocks. That doesn't mean there isn't a good amount of steamy sex on hand, which, as far as I'm concerned, always saves the day when all else fails, shoes and socks be damned. -
L A Witt has written a very good book with this one. Two hot as hell Doms, who have been together for years, both attracted to a very sexy sub. A great plus was that the storyline, while not deep and meaningful, was well written and showed in a truthful way the problems facing poly realationships. There was plenty of steam, that was hot and not repetitive. One of the Doms was a dirty talker. This book had everything I was looking for. Plus there was horses. I am a country girl at heart and enjoyed all the scenes at the farm. I think I will be reading this one again.
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5 stars. Specifically for the horses :)
This is a smokin' hawt M/M/M but with a LOT of plot. This is NOT a porn without plot (PWP). The issues addressed for any menage were really well thought out and addressed. This menage also has a significant BDSM plotline. Witt does a great job of integrating these two areas. I also loved her attention to detail (knowledge or research? - whatever) surrounding the horse facility and specifically the horse-riding lesson. Nothing annoys me more than when a character hops on a horse for the first time and rides away immediately. This in turn makes me feel as if she has researched in depth ALL aspects of this plotline, including details of photography, the other MCs' profession; areas that I don't have any idea about.
'Out Of Focus' made a lot of sense, but also conveyed the love and emotion that you expect from a romance. It has given me a solid push to move on other books by Witt that I already own but that haven't yet made it to my immediate TBR pile :) -
Reread Feb 2021
This reread had me skimming early on. Never a good sign.
Re-read November 2017
3.5 stars
This was a mostly sweet and easy re-read. I wish we'd seen a bit more of the harder-core kink progression throughout their relationship and also them being an "out" triad and making it work. But on the whole, and taking into account how many years this book has been out, it's still pretty good and not too dated. (Cough, cough. 4gb memory cards.)
Still worth reading. -
Erotic gay menage novel. Written in the first person from three povs throughout the book. Not a lot of plot but some beautifully crafted sex scenes.
'There was a time not long ago when I'd have said it was a crime for any man to be that fucking beautiful, but since the guilty parties were both naked and asleep in my bed, I wasn't going to complain' -
3.5 stars for this one. I enjoyed this trio and their journey into a triad relationship. This was a low level angst story that just seemed to simmer until the epilogue. It would have been nice to spend time with them as a legitimate triad, seeing how they managed their lives. I would have like the scene with Eli leaving especially if Angel was part of that eviction ! Some raunchy moments
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That was hot!!!
Wow!! Dante, Angel and Jordan are so very sexy and hot!! I loved the way Dante and Angel was already together and how easily it was for Jordan to mesh together with them. It was very intriguing with the photo shoots they did. Good lord they were hot and the detail behind it was amazing!!! So good!!!! -
*** 3.75 Stars ***
This book was a mixed bag for me.
I was intrigued by the concept of an established couple - both Doms, no less! - in an open relationship inviting a third to play. That this man would be a sub new to the scene and just discovering his kinks and boundaries made it even more delectable.
The book started strong. I instantly liked Ryan and Dante, both individually and as a couple. Their love, commitment, and sense of fun was immediate right off the bat. I liked the shorthand they'd developed working and living together for the better part of a decade and I LOVED their constant open communication with one another. When Jordan entered the picture and the couple's interest in him piqued, I was down for whatever.
And then it all sort of fizzled from there. I lost interest around 20% and found myself getting irritated with the number of times Witt repeated herself almost verbatim in her descriptive passages. Like, I get it. Your character is a neat freak and the crumpled shirt on the floor should be killing him right now, but it's not because he's in the moment; you don't need to tell me that same sentiment three paragraphs in a row.
I was bored and feeling disconnected from the story and the characters. I struggled to 45% and seriously considered DNFing with an "it's not you, it's me" comment, but the book had so many glowing reviews from friends that I pushed on. And I'm glad I did.
I'll happily admit that things got spicy in the middle of the book. Erotic photo shoots? Three-way car phone sex? Wax play? Orgasm Denial? Yes please. I'll take a double scoop of all of that. Unfortunately, as hot as all the scenes were individually, I still felt like the story was getting bogged down by too many sex scenes and not enough other stuff to convince me that when the threesome got to the inevitable "I love yous" at the end of the book, I would believe that they'd had anything but sex to build those feelings on.
Thankfully, as the book progressed, Witt didn't seem to shy away from the emotional tangle that can come with an open relationship (or relationships in general). All the fears, doubts, love, guilt, excitement, etc. were all laid bare for the reader to see. And just like that, I was emotionally engaged again.
So while the book wasn't flawless, and my reaction to it wasn't universal and exuberant love, it had good characters and a strong finish with a believable emotional struggle without any unnecessary angst or a Big, Entirely Avoidable Miscommunication to kill my buzz. -
I didn't like the way this book was written: in triple first person views. All three MCs were narrated in the first person, and every chapter is through a different MC. Not only does it take me a couple of paragraphs to figure out whose head I'm in now at the start of each chapter, it's also intensely boring.
This could have been great if the MCs each had distinctive narrative voices, or the book was split down into 3 parts and each MC narrated a part.
1. The former because it would kept things interesting; as it is now, all 3 of them sound EXACTLY the same. In fact, it's hard to tell them apart other than the little details - they aren't defined at all.
I feel like I have to say this every third book I read, but I'll say it again: History is not personality . You can chart history up until the time when their ancestors come down from the Mayflower or their college lifestyle; it doesn't actually help me understand them. It's personality: flamboyance, attitude, their take on life. These three feel like a whole lot of history and no personality, unless you count a desire not to have anal sex as personality.
With three first person narratives, this could have been an ideal chance to explore three different, unique voices. That did not happen here.
2. The latter is for me to be able to connect to the MCs. Just as soon as I start to relate to one MC... I'm pulled out of the whole thing and stuffed into someone else's head. Bad enough that they all sound the same, now I find that I actually want some consistency for a change.
It's a fine thing to do with a story with two MC; it can even be fine with three sometimes but this once, I feel that there's way too much rotating. Maybe it's the formulaic feel of it, like a game of chess where there's three players and everyone takes a round. Maybe it's also (1).
Whatever it is, I find that it stops me from connecting with everyone. This book could have been a lot better if it was divided into parts instead, with one narrative for 1/3 of the book, and another for the next 2/3, etc.
Even the sex felt wooden and formulaic, and it's usually the thing I care least about in erotica/romance novels. This book just wasn't my thing, I'm afraid. -
Ich habe schon einige Bücher von L.A. Witt gelesen. Manche haben mir gefallen und andere nicht. Dieses Buch hier liegt irgendwo dazwischen.
Den Anfang mochte ich sehr. Es war toll, zu lesen, wie Ryan und Dante gemeinsam ihren Platz im Leben gefunden haben und ihre Beziehung funktionieren kann, obwohl sie ähnliche Bedürfnisse und Sehnsüchte haben. Trotz allem sind sie glücklich in ihrer Beziehung.
Beide sind selbstsichere Charaktere, die viel erlebt und die Welt bereist haben. Sie wissen, was sie können und spielen nicht die Bescheidenen. Dabei sind sie aber nicht arrogant und unsympathisch, sondern eher herzlich und, für mich als Leser, zum Liebhaben.
Das Knistern als sie Jordan kennenlernen, wie die beiden ihn geduldig locken und verführen war für mich regelrecht spürbar. Ich muss gestehen, ich habe eine Schwäche für Trios und für mich hat anfangs alles gepasst.
Es gibt eine Szene im Fotostudio von Ryan und Dante, die fand ich absolut genial. Die Stimmung war perfekt aufgebaut, das Tempo genau richtig und die erotische Spannung war auf den Punkt gebracht. Die BDSM-Elemente sind ausgeprägt, aber nehmen nicht mehr von der Story ein, als ihr guttut. Alles in allem war es bis hierhin perfekt.
Leider ging dann alles so schnell, dass ich Probleme hatte, den Protagonisten emotional zu folgen.
Alle drei begeben sich in das erotische Abenteuer und ehe ich mich versah, war von Liebe die Rede. Alles wurde fragil, die einzelnen Beziehungen zwischen den Dreien standen vor dem Bruch und ich saß da und musste erstmal überlegen, wo diese tiefen Gefühle und die Unsicherheiten herkamen.
Kaum hatte ich die Protagonisten eingeholt und hoffte, den Weg der drei weiter verfolgen zu können, war die Geschichte auch schon zu Ende. Ja, es gab noch einen Blick in die Zukunft, aber das hat mich dann leider auch nicht mehr so richtig getröstet.
Ich habe relativ frustriert das Buch zugeklappt. Die Idee war gut und der Anfang wirklich vielversprechend, aber leider wurde es an den falschen Stellen zu hastig. Wie eingangs schon erwähnt liegt das Buch für mich irgendwo in der Mitte, es war nicht schlecht, aber es war auch nicht grandios.
