Review: Non-Negotiable

Non-Negotiable by Declan Heyse

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars



To be single, man and submissive can be very intimidating. For Aaron, he is new to the lifestyle. He tries to break the ice by going to munches and dungeons, but none of them are welcoming. In fact, he's treated poorly for the most part. To experience the D/s dynamic he's looking for, Dommes are looking for someone more experienced. And they aren't interested in loners, aka lurkers in this world.

This short story shows a glimpse into the mind of a young male exploring kink. The perspective about cliques is accurate for many kinky organizations. The nervousness and confusion Aaron experiences is also accurate and explained well. The progression of the story itself is different than many I've read and it's refreshing. Beyond this, I have some reservations.

The BDSM portrayed by Lisabeth is one which I can see in reality. Lisabeth is not the kind of dominant I would have engage in and her kink is definitely not my kink. There are so many red warning signs with her smirking opinion how the lifestyle should be, that I would not encourage a newbie like Aaron to have her as a his first experience. Honestly, from what little presented, if this was in real life, I'd expect in a year or so to find Aaron's body in the hospital or morgue. I'm not impressed with Lisabeth's "one true way". This is not to say dominants like Lisabeth doesn't exist in real life and are bad. They are just ones I'd avoid.

From a writing style, Declan is a minimalist. The story is straightforward from Aaron's perspective. There is little character development. For those who are in the lifestyle, this short story will probably make more sense. It's not a book for kinky romantics. Whilst I realise this is a fictional book, it is a contemporary setting with realistic representations. Which is why I make one last note, unless Aaron is completely physically unfit, there is a high demand in several areas in California for young male submissives looking for a Domme. This is based on a couple of female dominants in San Francisco area bemoaning the scarcity of available young male heterosexual submissives to me. This book is recommended to those who appreciate the insight of a young newbie exploring the world of kink.

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