Review: Bud

Bud by Candace Blevins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sadistic bad boy Bud finally gets his own book. I was mixed reading this book because I didn't like Bud from the few times he made an appearance in this series. Not sure why he bothered me so much from the few glimpses I saw of him, other than it felt like he disrespected females. Not as if he went out of his way to put women down. More like their existent to him seemed worthless. The impression I had of him was that women were less useful than property. After he lost his mate, any hole would work for him. In addition, women had no place to speak, ever. He came across to me as one of those guys who will never purposely go out of his way to hurt a woman, but he wouldn't help them unless he gets something out of it. And the only value a woman has for him is to receive cum in any of the three holes or all over their body. I hated him because it is more than the Madonna versus Whore persona he seemed to embrace. The way he allowed his daughter to be exposed to how women around her were treated - sweetbutt versus ole ladies just bugged me.

To my surprise, seeing from Bud's eyes is completely different. Understanding how he thinks and why he does things helped me see a different side of him and I ended up liking him. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to be friends, but I can appreciate all he does. Plus he is a hawt sadist who can dole out pain beautifully. Bud likes to say he is a simple guy, but he is more complex as we look at his layers. There are some businesses he runs in his motorcycle club that are clearly illegal. Working with drug dealers by supplying them special guns is not okay with me. This is criminal activity for me. Then again, I'm bias because I do not endorse or condone drug usage. In this way I am similar to Bud I guess. No drugs allowed but if people want to screw up their own life with drugs, have at it. Less competition for me and my family. I digress.

What I did like about Bud is how his chapter runs brothels. I get that many people have issues with prostitutes. I never did and never understand the hang up if the person who is selling their body wants to do it. That is the key difference. It is not the same as human trafficking which is the sticking point for Nickie, Bud's love interest. Surprisingly, my view of Nickie from the beginning of the book to the end changed, and not for the better.

This book is character driven as Nickie - investigative reporter and erotic romance writer clashes with Bud, President of a motorcycle club. It seems like a simple good girl falling for the bad boy. It's more complicated than that because both characters are driven to right the wrongs they perceive. Both abhor human trafficking, especially underage children. But their execution of how to stop the human traffickers is different. I have to admit, I'm more with Bud and his method. Nickie is not naive but her way of thinking gives off a judgmental vibe that is hypocritically. She mistakenly takes Bud to task when she thinks he is slut shaming her. Yet what is it she is doing to these women who sell their body? She believes she knows better and that they need to be rescued. She even dives into their personal life to find everything about them and debates whether to out them. Seriously, she wants to keep her life private with all her "secrets" yet she has no problem trying to "fix" others by showing them her right way. At that point, Nickie went from protector of abused to a See You Next Tuesday. I lost all respect for her and even at the end of the book, couldn't be bothered with her. I think Bud settled for a woman who isn't good enough for him. I never thought I would think that going into this book.

Nickie's holier than thou attitude rubs me the wrong way. It is probably because I'm more sensitive to it. Others may not see it at all. Regardless, this attitude is well written as a conflict between Bud and Nickie. I like how their conflicts are realistic in financial disparity and ideology. What is on the surface may not be what lays underneath. There is no doubt Nickie's intent is for the good. Bud's intent and how he executes it is more grounded in reality. Nickie's feels too ivory tower fantasy. Her idea of just "saving" someone from prostitution without taking in to consideration the after effect is what Bud teaches her. And this is why I love Ms. Blevins. She takes concepts that people think are black and white and shows why it is not. She shows how solutions on paper do not reflect reality. I have no idea if there are brothels like the ones described in this series. I kind of wish there were. It sounds lovely.

Ideology aside, the erotic parts to this story are supernova hawt! On a scale of one to ten, maybe an eleven. A word to the wise, do not read this book on an airplane or in public. Unintentionally moaning may commence and cause strangers to look at you funny. Watching Nickie and Bud work through how they would get kinky with each other is fantastic. The scenes are trademark Ms. Blevins intense. Nickie's bratting was quite cute. I have to side with her when she describes herself as a SAM instead of a brat. As Bud says, potato potahto. The only thing I think this story needed was a diagram for the scene between Bud, Nickie and Dave, the slave. I could not visualize it because words just become words after awhile. It is also probably because I have never had a threesome in this manner so without the experience, it is hard to visualize exactly how the body parts all worked together. And it probably didn't help that I didn't read it too closely because I was more focused on the sadistic and sexy bits. If Ms. Blevin's muse is kind, maybe we will be treated to Bud and Nickie co-domming a submissive man and woman together. The hints of what they would do or can do has me all a tither.

This paranormal erotic novel is highly recommended to kinky readers who love alpha males who give orders and expect them to be followed without question. Buy this book now.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book

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