Neighborly: A Novel

Product Information

This series in whole is BDSM Erotica MMF. The BDSM is more D/s that S/M. We have an old soul “smoldering artist” Dominant/Master in Henry whose job is to set up the games and make sure everyone has fun. Then there is joyful service submissive bottom in Jay aka “flirty bike-boy”, who is Henry’s longtime partner. Finally there is Alice, the main protagonist for the previous main (not prequel or additional) books, she is a mechanical engineer who moved into the apartment across the hall from Henry and Jay. She is brought into their life as a hoped for and loved third to the triad, her kink status develops over the series.

sListen, I am not a prude but I feel like it is not fair or really cool to not give readers a heads up about the incredible amount of highly sexual content of this book. I wasn’t sure I would like this book as (a) I’m not keen on American novels and (b) I’ve already read several psychological thrillers about neighbours from hell. But it seemed the best of the bunch of the Kindle First on offer this month. But wow, once It got going I couldn’t put it down and I was frustrated that work and other duties got in the way of me reading. When Kat and Doug buy their small home in their dream community, everything soon starts to look nightmarish. Somebody is leaving unpleasant notes at their house, stealing their parcels and perhaps spiking Kat's drinks. Kat's got a dark history that she keeps secret from even her husband and that secret runs through the book as an undercurrent. As her dream starts to fall apart, the strange happenings in her neighbourhood leave her unsure who can be trusted and who can't - including her husband, Doug. Nadia and Ange are schoolteachers who have built respectable, middle-class lives for themselves. One day, a strange wound appears on Ange’s stomach. While the whole community slowly shuns the teachers, a neighbour, Nogent, whom they had always disdained, comes to help them in their vulnerable state and moves in to care for them. Marie NDiaye is a master of creating menacing, off-kilter worlds that speak to the truth of human experience.Finding Their Balance begins a storyline where they confront what happened at the club. Jay specifically takes his previous trauma in his hands and confronts his bully, lets call him. Alice takes another step towards the place she wishes to occupy in Henry and Jay's life. This is also the story that sets up Minding Their Manners by having Ollie reveal that she is going to be visiting in the next book at the end of this one, which is a minor spoiler for FTB, but necessary information for this book so... Kat is a struggler, she struggles with just about everything like her self esteem, her marriage and sex life, money, her successes and/or failures as a mother, her new home, her new neighbors/friends and her in laws whom she does not like. Oh and there's that secret she struggles with on the daily.

Reality intrudes on Henry, Alice (his submissive/switch) and their submissive Jay, after they’ve lived together for three months. Though they’ve happily synchronized their schedules, needs and play times, their condo is a tight squeeze. Then, a visit by Alice’s sister is raw and unflinching. Finally, Jay decides to come out to his family over a long weekend, without recognizing the dangers; their love is icy, and conditional. Can this trio’s excellent communication, compassion and concern for one another overcome their obstacles? The book will be loved by those who can overlook some of the things that just didn't sit with me. Not enough suspense for a book billed as suspense, the fry pan in the face with the sex talk that would make Dr. Ruth blush. F bombs not included. As increasingly sinister and frighteningly personal notes arrive, each one stabs deeper into the heart of Kat’s insecurities, paranoia, and most troubling, her past. When the neighbors who seemed so perfect reveal their open secret, the menace moves beyond mean notes. Someone’s raising the stakes.Kat and Doug have moved into a new neighborhood called Aurora Village. It is certainly a dream come true, even if it cost them every penny they had. From a threatening note found outside their door to deep, rather disturbing secrets, Kat instantly becomes extremely worried. Also, they are the new parents of Sadie and this brings on challenges of its own, including the distance that has developed between Kat and Doug. More than one thing is off-kilter. The last book that came out, Tuesdays With Jay, I read along with all the books again. Because it was another concurrent POV. But this was SO much Henry and Jay. It was about halfway through before I really got on board. And being inside those characters was intense.

Rest assured, Henry, Alice and Jay’s appeal extends well beyond author technique! They are three average confused, self-doubting people, who exist in a society that pours greater pressure on their love. Yet I am repeatedly awed by their courage, patience, self-discipline, appreciation of one another and common decency towards their supporters and detractors alike. Can I grow up to be like them?? I always expect these books, this series to be emotional, but this one is a heavy hitter. There are just so many varied relationship dynamics...it is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for the reader. I absolutely loved getting to know all these people that we'd only heard of in periphery, due to their relations with the main triad. Alice's sister, in particular, is one I hope we hear more from in future books. And I am forever hoping that Will can snag a turn to tell us his story.That’s not exactly a critique; was interesting to an extent. I also thought the anguish Kat felt as a new mother felt very real. I don’t have kids by choice and a lot of the fears revealed by Kat are major reasons as to why. I did get a little tired of Kat’s insecurities being hashed over and over and over and over.... you kind of get why, as you learn more about her past. But at some point she just becomes this weepy, needy nuisance. This is the long awaited book 6 for us Neighborly Affection fans. With every book I fall more and more in love with Henry and Jay, they are the perfect book boyfriends. Oh how I envy Alice! Even worse, Jay’s springing a new idea on his partners: it’s time to come out to his family. His decision might destroy them all—but Henry’s hunger for Jay’s public embrace makes it almost worth the risk.