Title: ⟫ Domestic Service Author: ⟫ Ella Fenn
Blurb: ⟫ An inexperienced executive. A penniless grad student. An unconventional offer.
Colin Caldwell clawed his way out of a rough childhood to put himself through college, and now grad school. Broke, stressed-out, and struggling to stay afloat after he loses his regular ridesharing gig, he’s willing to do anything that pays the bills.
Simon Vessey is the total package—a handsome, wealthy, and successful executive who, at thirty-seven, seems to have it all. But behind closed doors, Simon is shy, lonely, and so inexperienced as a dominant that he might as well be a virgin. Limited by his fears, but craving companionship beyond an occasional escort, what he really wants is someone he can come home to, even if he’s paying for the privilege.
When a mutual acquaintance suggests that Colin could be the perfect fit for Simon’s live-in submissive dreams, it seems like the perfect solution for them both. But when their connection begins to run deeper than their business contract, and old demons rear their heads, will they find a way to persevere?
The first book in the Living Situations series, Domestic Service is a gay romance featuring an age gap, light BDSM, and two broken people fixing each other in service of their happy ending. If you like steamy situations, compelling characters, and forced proximity, then you’ll love Ella Fenn’s debut novel.
Review: ⟫ You know when you go into a book with preconceptions as to what it’s going to be like and then it knocks you on your butt? This book did that to me.
I really liked the blurb and thought it would be a fun read, and it was initially. And then it started going into things deeper, and there were feelings – so many feelings. I admit it – I cried. Real life is a trip at the moment and for some reason, the scene with the bear cub (by the way, we all need a Bertram) just took me completely by surprise and I was bawling my eyes out.
I admired both Simon and Collin – not because they were perfect, but because they weren’t. It would have been so easy to keep this as a surface romance – man falls in love with his live-in sub, etc but this was so much more than that. The supporting cast were brilliant – can I just say three cheers for well-rounded female characters – and I stayed up far too late reading this.
The sex/kink was almost by the by – instead, I really wanted to see how Simon and Colin were going to make it, how they were going to get their broken pieces to fit. And I really applaud the way it was done – it took time, effort, self reflection and some really painful changes.
I can hardly believe that this is a debut novel – I was really impressed, and will most definitely be looking for more by this author.
An easy 5/5 – I’m off to blow my nose and cuddle my cats!
I received an ARC from GayRomanceReviews in exchange for an honest review.
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