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Review by Well Read Review by Jenre Normally when reading an anthology there are always one or even two stories which are either complete duds or just don't compare favourably to the rest in the collection. One surprising and delightful find in this anthology is that all the stories were above par and I enjoyed all them a great deal. One thing I'll mention here so that I don't need to say anything in the story descriptions is that all the stories were very well written with great pacing, lively descriptive styles and interesting plots. Each story contains either one animal or a set of animals and I found it gratifying that, within that remit, each of these stories were different and original. Driven by Destiny by Jane Davitt Set in Hollywood during prohibition, this story follows our hero, Kerr Owens, who is agent to the Hollywood starlet Destiny Devine. He is alarmed to discover that Destiny is considering obtaining a leopard as a pet. Fortunately, Destiny's bodyguard, Tony, manages to persuade her that this isn't the best idea, leading to Kerr and Tony becoming friends. After a few illegal drinks and a lot of flirting the men arrive back at Destiny's deserted house all ready to take their friendship to the next level. Unfortunately for them, the leopard has been delivered and somehow it's got out of its cage. This was another story filled with sly humour. From Destiny, the petulant starlet to Tony, the beefy bodyguard who hides the heart of a submissive in his bulky frame, the characters in this story brought not only a sense of time but were also recognisable without being unoriginal. I liked Kerr and the discovery he makes about himself when faced by Tony's request for him to be the dominant partner. The scenes where the two men were working out their roles was also a refreshing spin on the D/s dynamic. Even the leopard had a character all of its own! A refreshing spin on the 'trapped in the house with a dangerous animal' plot. Rating: Excellent. Review by Rainbow Reviews 4 out of 5 stars Driven by Destiny by Jane Davitt was most strange, but a good kind of strange. A rich, spoiled and seemingly talentless actress is given the unexpected gift of a black panther. Tony her bodyguard and Kerr her manager enter the empty house, unaware of the feline's presence. Once confronted with the cat, they manage to bar themselves in a bedroom, and without being able to call for help, have to find something to do to pass the time until morning. The setting of the 1930s was well chosen, a time when homosexuality was a total scandal if discovered. Not to mention a crime. The story was a wonderful mixture of fear and arousal. Even though this was the second story about a large cat, the plots were so different, I had no objections. Reviewer: British Bull DogIn House Review by Angela Benedetti "Driven by Destiny" by Jane Davitt is another recent-historical, this one set in Hollywood during Prohibition. Kerr and Tony both work for a flamboyant, self-centered actress named Destiny, as agent and bodyguard respectively. When a panther escapes its cage in and is snarling and clawing at the door to get in at them in Destiny's otherwise empty mansion, the two men have some time to kill. The escaped panther set-up is handled nicely, and doesn't intrude too much on the real story here, which is about Kerr and Tony, who've known each other and worked together for years, discovering that they have something in common besides an employer. And what's more, Tony, tall and handsome and muscled like a bodybuilder, wants Kerr to command him. I enjoyed watching them come together, in a way which was new to Kerr, at least; he'd never done anything like this before, but it felt right, in a way no quick and casual encounter with any other man ever had. There's no bondage or pain-play or anything really sophisticated, but their play gets to the heart of BDSM, with a man who wants to let go and submit, and another who wants to command and care for. Very well done. Return to Home Click here to e-mail the author |