Training Season

Re-Read/Listen 2/29/20 - 3/4/20To be honest this probably like a 4th go around with Matty & Rob and I did stretch it out for maximum enjoyment. I think I also got to pick up on small things, in no particular order:Martha & George: I'd read a story about how they got together.Bill & Angus: I'd pay $$$ to get their story from the moment they first laid eyes on each other.What's in store for crazy Kevin?How Matty's whole trip to Montana is life-changing experience for him in every aspect: his relationship with Rob, how he begins the long journey of reassessing his life as an athlete, and how he has to constantly check his preconceived ideas. Shouldn't we all do this from time to time?How life on a ranch wasn't sugarcoated as a fairyland of cotton candy & rainbows but rather the realities of hard work, grueling hours, and uncertain outcome. Life.Finally the fact that Matty, and Rob to some extent, use BDSM to address Matty's issues didn't bother me as much as this same thing does in other books. I think it's people trying to do the best they can with what they have at hand, and Rob in particular knows that at best his providing a stop gap for Matty's, sometimes, self harming behavior. I can honestly say that this is a story that I love more with each re-read, probably because LB doesn't sugar coat anything, particularly not Matty, who can at times be a pill. But we love him anyway. All smiles through the tears.********Dork AlertI've had this book for a while, bought it for the cover, and then jumped on the audio as soon as it became available. However I held off on reading until the Olympics because as I said: DORK. All things considered I think it was a good choice. I loved it.Besides the yummy cover and knowing this was a skating themed book I knew little else about the story, and damn was I happy and happily surprised. [a:Leta Blake 6425833 Leta Blake https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1497015011p2/6425833.jpg] gifts us with the adorable and maddening Matty Marcus, Olympic figure skater, who has yet to medal. When the book starts Matty is recuperating from an injury, plotting & planning a return to the ice, and living in his childhood bedroom because he doesn't have a pot to piss in. Rescue comes in the form of a six-month house & horse sitting gig courtesy of a fan. The catch? It's in Montana. Our Matty is a New York City princess through and through or at least wants to be. Alas Matty NEEDS the money and off to Whitefish, Montana he goes. Luckily the romance gods have a reward for him and for us: Rob Lovely. So lovely.I'm guessing by now everyone knows that Matty is based pretty closely on Johnny Weir, or what we know of his public image of course. Leta Blake even thanks Johnny in the acknowledgements at the end of the book. I took it a step further and blended Johnny & Adam Rippon in my romance blender. Delicious. Matty is never without his lip gloss, favorite bag or shoes, and can't be accused of trying to fit in, nor should he. He's his own glorious creation even when it hurts him. It's a good thing that Rob more than likes him exactly the way he is. Speaking of Rob, was ever a character more aptly named? Rob is that dream guy who's effortlessly HOT, can take any and all of your crazy, tie you up & spank you while loving you senseless, and later he'll cook for you. Yep. Surprise! This was BDSM and my favorite kind, meaning non-dungeon, sort of organic in it's inception, and overall sweet. All about the loving in spite of the pain. Despite his city polish Matty is a bit of a hot mess in his head and Rob stepping in and taking charge in the bedroom, and trying to do a bit outside too, is exactly what he needs. I loved Rob's brand of Dom. He hurts Matty because he loves him enough to do so. But only in the bedroom. Outside of the bedroom he understands and respects that Matty is a grown man with an autonomous life. I loved how Rob took care of Matty as much as he was allowed or dared. I love his son, Ben, such a fantastic kid who is sure to grow into a wonderful man. Rob's relationship with his ex, Anja, is heartening in the sometimes misogynistic world of M/M. I liked that Rob had no doubt or confusion as to his sexual identity or preference. And he likes Matty, the glitter bomb, just the way he is. I also loved that Rob had an actual life, with issues of his own that were there pre-Matty and that he functioned and existed in a recognizable world. What to say about Matty? He's annoying, sometimes self-centered, and too much in his head, yet also capable of great kindness, open-heartedness, and sometimes scary vulnerability. The way he gives himself into Rob's care? Beautiful. Everyone mentions their first encounter in the kitchen and yes, yowza! but for me the turning point, where I was convinced that this was love: the bathroom scene. It could have been weird, creepy, gross etc. and yet it was loving, intimate, and profound. I enjoyed or loved every side character in this book. They were all fully rounded individuals and brought depth to the story. I was delighted that the author didn't take the easy route of making everyone in Small Town, USA an a**hole, that would be disingenuous at best or flat out false. In fact the town was a great vibrant character in the book. Matty's family, all wonderful in their own way, Bill and Angus, Elliot, and everyone else. Brilliant. It's clear that Leta Blake immersed herself in skating culture and it shows in every aspect of the book: the politics of the Federation, Matty's eating disorder, the sacrifices families make for elusive skating dreams. Very illuminating, and it never felt like “telling”. I enjoyed how the story progressed and was paced, even the necessary separation in the last third, but perhaps my favorite thing is encapsulated in this quote, where Rob is pushing Matty to eat:“Matty put his arm around him. ‘Yes, well, if that's my punishment ...' Rob rolled his eyes. ‘Yes, whatever. That's your punishment. Jesus, sometimes I'm sure that a shit-load of counseling is in your future. ‘Or you could just keep fucking me sane.'‘Is that what you think I'm doing? I thought I was making love to you.'”Though Rob and Matty are engaged in a BDSM brand of love, Rob at least, never loses sight of the fact that it's not a cure for Matty's issues. They do it for pleasure, because it's their kink, because it makes them happy. Matty has problems that won't and don't go away with magic cock or a good flogger. Amen. I can't fail to mention the amazeballs job done by [a:Michael Ferraiuolo 13467952 Michael Ferraiuolo https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1498214961p2/13467952.jpg] in the audio. He was fantastic.

Note to self: think twice before buying another book by Leta Blake. While this was well written and occasionally very funny, the BDSM was way too much for me (yes, I'm aware it was relatively tame compared to some novels but I don't read them either). Not my cup of tea at all.

This was an interesting book and not at all what I expected. Matty is definitely the most effeminate man I've encountered in any book, and for the most part, his personality was entertaining and at times adorable. However, his attitude towards competitive figure skating just pissed me off. He didn't strive to be his best for the right reasons. It wasn't for a sense of accomplishment; he was driven by a desire to see his fellow competitors fail. That gave me no reason to want him to win anything in his career. He also starved himself to achieve his goal weight and never acknowledged how unhealthy that was. It was treated as a necessary evil even at the end of the book, which is a disappointment.

Then there's Rob. Rob's a sweet guy, but my gosh, he says some of the most gag-worthy, over-the-top sappy lines I've ever heard. It makes for a seriously weird mix of a twirling Sound of Music singing, sentimental guy and a Dom who goes straight to edge play as the intro to BDSM with Matty (that was a serious WTF moment), followed of course by a ridiculous line about the North Star (eyeroll). Matty's immediate acceptance of all the sudden extreme BDSM stuff (breath play, Rob wanting to watch him expel enema water into the toilet as he held his hands, whipping Matty's asshole and balls while said balls and cock are wrapped in coarse scratchy rope) was pretty difficult for me to believe.

This could have been a really great book, but those things kept it from being one I'd recommend.