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Bound
"Bound" is the story of Adrian, a man who finds himself wheelchair bound, and thinks that his life is over. Until he meets Nate, and learns to love again. A male/male Romance with explicit sexual scenes and mild BDSM elements, this novella is intended for adult readers. ***This story was written for the goodreads mm romance group's 2014 Love's Landscapes event. It was written in response to a prompt letter (included in the front copy of this book)
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2014
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438 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
June 7, 2018
3.75 stars
"Bound" by Amelia Bishop is my second book in the m/m Romance Group "loves landscape". I really love the whole concept of this short stories, how authors come up with a story based on the photo they choose.
The MCs Adrain and Nate were wonderful characters. Adrain had a bad accident, he requires physical therapy. He meets Nate at the therapist's office, they both feel attracted to each other and so their relationship begins.
Adrain is hesitant at first, but he has valid reasons. I love how Nate went after Adrain without a doubt, he knew what he wanted and didn't let anything, especially Adrain's doubts get in the way. He never made him feel less or that he was different.
This was a short story and even though at some parts it felt a bit rushed, it felt complete. This was a emotional, tender, and sexy story with a bit of light BDMS, very sexy!
Thanks for the rec, Chesca! I really enjoyed it! xx
"Bound" by Amelia Bishop is my second book in the m/m Romance Group "loves landscape". I really love the whole concept of this short stories, how authors come up with a story based on the photo they choose.
The MCs Adrain and Nate were wonderful characters. Adrain had a bad accident, he requires physical therapy. He meets Nate at the therapist's office, they both feel attracted to each other and so their relationship begins.
Adrain is hesitant at first, but he has valid reasons. I love how Nate went after Adrain without a doubt, he knew what he wanted and didn't let anything, especially Adrain's doubts get in the way. He never made him feel less or that he was different.
This was a short story and even though at some parts it felt a bit rushed, it felt complete. This was a emotional, tender, and sexy story with a bit of light BDMS, very sexy!
Thanks for the rec, Chesca! I really enjoyed it! xx
July 5, 2016
He trusts me. I could break him, and he trusts me not to.
Bound , by Amelia Bishop, is a product of the Goodreads M/ M Romance Group’s “Love’s Landscapes” event.
Adrian, a man who got into an accident wherein he was hit while he was riding his bike, was left broken physically and emotionally. He woke up in the hospital to legs that he could not move. He was told that there was a great possibility that we would never be able to walk again due to nerve damage. Despite this, Adrian underwent operations, and later on, physical therapies to try to cure his disability.
In these said therapy sessions he met Jim and Nate who were both therapists. Adrian, angry and hurt, pushed everyone away because he didn’t want to be treated with pity, but these two were very patient and showed him kindness.
What Adrian went through and all the things he felt could be experienced by anyone who’s been broken by such a disastrous event. He became stubborn and grumpy, and found little caring gestures offending.
The story is so sweet and swoon-worthy! I can’t help but grin especially while I was reading towards the end. It is truthfully romantic and heart-warming. The romance is just right. It wasn’t insta-love, and not too slow-burning. The relationship of Adrian and was very realistic and admirable. I think anyone would want a love like theirs, something that would make a person stronger and heal him from all pain.
If you’re looking for a steamy hot read, you should give this a try! It has some light BDSM in it, in which I found Adrian to be really cute. YES, ADRIAN, WHO IS DISABLED, IS INVOLVED IN SOME DELICIOUS TYING-UP AND SPANKING!!
Although this is a very short read with sixty-seven pages, the story took a span of two to three years. Yes, some scenes were months or weeks apart. Nothing was abrupt, and you could really see the neat plot development. The only problem I have with it was that some months were written in a rush in just a few sentences. There weren’t many details in them.
Also, I noticed that the book focused too much on what they do together. I think it would have been better if scenes wherein they interacted with others were included instead of just mentioned. There are still so many things that the couple could explore around them, too, like or whatever they used to do before they met each other.
I am very happy with how it ended. There was no better way of ending this story, in my opinion. It was simple but very romantic.
I highly recommend this if you want a realistic but quick and dirty read!
Bound , by Amelia Bishop, is a product of the Goodreads M/ M Romance Group’s “Love’s Landscapes” event.
Adrian, a man who got into an accident wherein he was hit while he was riding his bike, was left broken physically and emotionally. He woke up in the hospital to legs that he could not move. He was told that there was a great possibility that we would never be able to walk again due to nerve damage. Despite this, Adrian underwent operations, and later on, physical therapies to try to cure his disability.
In these said therapy sessions he met Jim and Nate who were both therapists. Adrian, angry and hurt, pushed everyone away because he didn’t want to be treated with pity, but these two were very patient and showed him kindness.
What Adrian went through and all the things he felt could be experienced by anyone who’s been broken by such a disastrous event. He became stubborn and grumpy, and found little caring gestures offending.
The story is so sweet and swoon-worthy! I can’t help but grin especially while I was reading towards the end. It is truthfully romantic and heart-warming. The romance is just right. It wasn’t insta-love, and not too slow-burning. The relationship of Adrian and was very realistic and admirable. I think anyone would want a love like theirs, something that would make a person stronger and heal him from all pain.
If you’re looking for a steamy hot read, you should give this a try! It has some light BDSM in it, in which I found Adrian to be really cute. YES, ADRIAN, WHO IS DISABLED, IS INVOLVED IN SOME DELICIOUS TYING-UP AND SPANKING!!
Although this is a very short read with sixty-seven pages, the story took a span of two to three years. Yes, some scenes were months or weeks apart. Nothing was abrupt, and you could really see the neat plot development. The only problem I have with it was that some months were written in a rush in just a few sentences. There weren’t many details in them.
Also, I noticed that the book focused too much on what they do together. I think it would have been better if scenes wherein they interacted with others were included instead of just mentioned. There are still so many things that the couple could explore around them, too, like or whatever they used to do before they met each other.
I am very happy with how it ended. There was no better way of ending this story, in my opinion. It was simple but very romantic.
I highly recommend this if you want a realistic but quick and dirty read!
August 28, 2016
3.75 stars
This was a surprisingly joyful story with a nice dose of comfort/healing and some light BDSM sprinkled in.
When Adrian is injured in a motorcycle accident, he suffers nerve damage that means he'll never walk again. Angry at the world, Adrian shuts himself away.
Nate is a physical therapist who's attracted to Adrian's spark. He asks Adrian out, only to be flatly refused. But Nate doesn't give up easily, and Adrian eventually relents and agrees to an unofficial PT session with Nate (he refuses to call it a "date," since he doesn't believe a man could want him again).
The MCs explore boundaries in the bedroom, even as Adrian is afraid Nate will tire of having a wheelchair-bound boyfriend and leave him. Playing with Nate allows Adrian to give up power and control, to be free while being bound, and he comes to realize that the wheelchair strips him of freedom only if he lets it.
If you're looking for hardcore BDSM, this is not the story; the BDSM aspect doesn't leave the bedroom and is quite mild.
I liked the alternating POVs and seeing that how Nate saw Adrian is definitely not how Adrian saw himself.
The story spanned a couple years, so months were sometimes summarized in a few sentences, but then time would slow down again and we would get a detailed glimpse of the men's day-to-day life. I would have liked to see more showing and a little less narration.
Even though some of the passages felt rushed, the ending was beautiful, the sex plentiful, steamy, and tender, and the story hopeful.
This was a surprisingly joyful story with a nice dose of comfort/healing and some light BDSM sprinkled in.
When Adrian is injured in a motorcycle accident, he suffers nerve damage that means he'll never walk again. Angry at the world, Adrian shuts himself away.
Nate is a physical therapist who's attracted to Adrian's spark. He asks Adrian out, only to be flatly refused. But Nate doesn't give up easily, and Adrian eventually relents and agrees to an unofficial PT session with Nate (he refuses to call it a "date," since he doesn't believe a man could want him again).
The MCs explore boundaries in the bedroom, even as Adrian is afraid Nate will tire of having a wheelchair-bound boyfriend and leave him. Playing with Nate allows Adrian to give up power and control, to be free while being bound, and he comes to realize that the wheelchair strips him of freedom only if he lets it.
If you're looking for hardcore BDSM, this is not the story; the BDSM aspect doesn't leave the bedroom and is quite mild.
I liked the alternating POVs and seeing that how Nate saw Adrian is definitely not how Adrian saw himself.
The story spanned a couple years, so months were sometimes summarized in a few sentences, but then time would slow down again and we would get a detailed glimpse of the men's day-to-day life. I would have liked to see more showing and a little less narration.
Even though some of the passages felt rushed, the ending was beautiful, the sex plentiful, steamy, and tender, and the story hopeful.
July 7, 2018
Probably rate a bit lower on the re-read, but a solid story.
-- --
Oh the FEELZ!
I loved this story and yet I almost skipped it on account of the BDSM tag.
It's kept fairly simple which suits the length and that does mean some things are summarised but for me everything was here, the result is a warm feel-good. There were sad, poignant moments when Adrian discovered he wouldn't walk again and him thinking of what he'd lost. A big grin for Krissy and her no-nonsense perspective. And I loved the alternative pov, where it can often feel clunky here it was really well done and added to the story.
The love interest (giving the name would be a minor spoiler) sees Aiden. Not the chair, not a cripple - Aiden. He's all puppy enthusiasm and I absolutely loved that.
Very mild BDSM - not even shelving this as kink. It was a request of the prompt but I don't think it's the author's usual genre, if you pick it up for that you'll be disappointed. I liked how it was handled, it seemed more about them getting to know each other and talking than a few thrown in 'sir's'
Would have perhaps been nice to see some more family visits and towards the end there's big time leaps but I don't care, I liked seeing how they progressed and the ending is full of sappy romantic sweetness that I loved.
-- --
Oh the FEELZ!
I loved this story and yet I almost skipped it on account of the BDSM tag.
It's kept fairly simple which suits the length and that does mean some things are summarised but for me everything was here, the result is a warm feel-good. There were sad, poignant moments when Adrian discovered he wouldn't walk again and him thinking of what he'd lost. A big grin for Krissy and her no-nonsense perspective. And I loved the alternative pov, where it can often feel clunky here it was really well done and added to the story.
The love interest (giving the name would be a minor spoiler) sees Aiden. Not the chair, not a cripple - Aiden. He's all puppy enthusiasm and I absolutely loved that.
Very mild BDSM - not even shelving this as kink. It was a request of the prompt but I don't think it's the author's usual genre, if you pick it up for that you'll be disappointed. I liked how it was handled, it seemed more about them getting to know each other and talking than a few thrown in 'sir's'
Would have perhaps been nice to see some more family visits and towards the end there's big time leaps but I don't care, I liked seeing how they progressed and the ending is full of sappy romantic sweetness that I loved.
June 13, 2014
This was an incredibly beautiful hurt/comfort romance novella about a young man facing life in a wheelchair after a terrible accident, the ensuing anger and distrust, and the efforts of the love interest who won't give up in his pursuit until he gets his man.
I loved the different themes raised in this novella, the incredibly sensitive and organic writing in both narrative and dialogue, and the gorgeous portrayal of a loving, committed relationship that worked really well for them both, including the D/s aspects. I loved how the author didn't magically fix Adrian's injuries, including the psychological ones, but allowed the relationship time to grow and prosper in a realistic fashion.
And yeah, I sniffled a bit at the HEA.
Very well done.
A free novella from the M/M Romance group's Love's Landscapes event.
I loved the different themes raised in this novella, the incredibly sensitive and organic writing in both narrative and dialogue, and the gorgeous portrayal of a loving, committed relationship that worked really well for them both, including the D/s aspects. I loved how the author didn't magically fix Adrian's injuries, including the psychological ones, but allowed the relationship time to grow and prosper in a realistic fashion.
And yeah, I sniffled a bit at the HEA.
Very well done.
A free novella from the M/M Romance group's Love's Landscapes event.
June 12, 2014
4.5 stars rounded up
This was a fantastic story combining two of my favourite things - hurt/comfort and BDSM.
Adrian is injured in a motorcycle accident and loses the use of his legs, he's angry and isolates himself from everyone except Jim, his physiotherapist. Once day at his treatment session he meets Nate, also a physiotherapist but not involved in his treatment and slowly the pair begin a relationship. They discover they have both got a history in BDSM, and this element is added to their already growing relationship. The story runs from the accident, through their first meeting and awkward dates and on to a successful happy ever after. Definitely would recommend this one.
This was a fantastic story combining two of my favourite things - hurt/comfort and BDSM.
Adrian is injured in a motorcycle accident and loses the use of his legs, he's angry and isolates himself from everyone except Jim, his physiotherapist. Once day at his treatment session he meets Nate, also a physiotherapist but not involved in his treatment and slowly the pair begin a relationship. They discover they have both got a history in BDSM, and this element is added to their already growing relationship. The story runs from the accident, through their first meeting and awkward dates and on to a successful happy ever after. Definitely would recommend this one.
June 14, 2014
When one moment changes everything.
This was a lot less intense than expected from the prompt, and offered a gentle glide into serenity. This was an easy read without a lot of angst and considering the premise it could have been dark, a lot darker. The timeline takes into account the slow move from bitter, to trying, to hopeful to accepting and flourishing. I loved the use of a marginalized character that the prompt requested and even though the BDSM was light and maybe lighter than the requester was hoping for, it fit with the story.
This was a lot less intense than expected from the prompt, and offered a gentle glide into serenity. This was an easy read without a lot of angst and considering the premise it could have been dark, a lot darker. The timeline takes into account the slow move from bitter, to trying, to hopeful to accepting and flourishing. I loved the use of a marginalized character that the prompt requested and even though the BDSM was light and maybe lighter than the requester was hoping for, it fit with the story.
Want to read
July 18, 2016I know this story is serious but I can't help that EVERY TIME I SEE THIS BOOK TITLE I sing Bound by Kanye!
Damn you Kardashians! It's all your fault! *shakes fist*
Okay...the song isn't too bad. The video is questionable
Damn you Kardashians! It's all your fault! *shakes fist*
Okay...the song isn't too bad. The video is questionable
June 16, 2024
This story is available for free, as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's Love's Landscapes event.
This was really cute and enjoyable but the story length and the timeframes chosen by the author let it down. The MCs, their romance and the portrayal of Adrian's physical disability (he's a paraplegic following a car accident) were all done really well but the story was rushed and there was too much telling instead of showing.
First of all - if you read this without knowing/remembering what the blurb says, you'll likely make the same mistake I did and you'll start the story thinking the romantic pairing will be Jim (Adrian's main PT) and Adrian. So it threw me for a loop when Nate shows up in Chapter 3 and starts flirting with Adrian. Anyway, Jim's big role in the first two chapters added to the rushed, unsatisfying feel of the story. The first two chapters were filled with info-dumps as the author races through 6 months worth of story, rushing through the events of Adrian's life from the car accident until he's back home and regularly doing at-home sessions with Jim. The actual story doesn't start until Chapter 3 when Adrian meets Nate and that's when the story slows down to a reasonable pace (for the most part). I wish the first two chapters had been left out entirely with important events just being referenced later so those pages could have been devoted to making more important later scenes have more breathing room.
My favorite part was Nate and Adrian's romance because the author went about things in a unique way. This was all fantastic!
As a small note, I also loved the inclusion of Nate's dog Star. She's not a big part of the story but her presence was a great way for Adrian to expand his comfort zone (ex. being willing to spend time at Nate's house so Nate could take care of Star instead of Nate always coming over to Adrian's home). Like Nate, Star doesn't treat Adrian any differently because he's in a wheelchair and that's another major boost to Adrian's self confidence.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the story nearly as satisfying as I was hoping it would be because everything was way too rushed. As I said - the first two chapters were just info-dumps and useless information. There were other scenes along the way (like conversations between Nate and his co-workers) that ate up precious narrative space in a story where space was at a premium, due to the author's desires to take these guys from strangers all the way to within just 80 pages. To accomplish that, there was a huge amount of telling instead of showing and the majority of scenes were rushed. To the author's credit, the relationship development scenes between Nate and Adrian were fine but everything else was rushed. For example, none of Adrian's physical therapy is ever shown on page, we don't get to see how he learns to adjust to life in his wheelchair (ex. navigating around his home, navigating around outside, learning to drive etc) and many non-romance milestones in Adrian's journey were glossed over (like his return to work or re-connecting with old friends).
One of the big casualties to the rushed pacing were the BDSM scenes, which I was disappointed by because that was one of the main attractions of the romance. There are only two BDSM scenes (there was a tiny one where Nate just held Adrian's hands down during sex, but that doesn't count IMO) and both of them were really rushed. They included a wide variety of kinks but they were done so quickly that they felt mechanical and I ended up not caring. It doesn't help that the structure of the story forced the BDSM stuff to not even be a topic of conversation until the final third, which is what led to the rushing. I wish the author had structured things differently (ex. maybe having Nate and Adrian have a previous BDSM partnership) so the BDSM stuff could have been woven in and developed earlier in the relationship.
Overall, I did enjoy this and I liked how Adrian's disability was dealt with in his relationship with Nate. That was really unique and done well. Unfortunately, everything else was really rushed and I ended up wishing this would have been a full length novel.
This was really cute and enjoyable but the story length and the timeframes chosen by the author let it down. The MCs, their romance and the portrayal of Adrian's physical disability (he's a paraplegic following a car accident) were all done really well but the story was rushed and there was too much telling instead of showing.
First of all - if you read this without knowing/remembering what the blurb says, you'll likely make the same mistake I did and you'll start the story thinking the romantic pairing will be Jim (Adrian's main PT) and Adrian. So it threw me for a loop when Nate shows up in Chapter 3 and starts flirting with Adrian. Anyway, Jim's big role in the first two chapters added to the rushed, unsatisfying feel of the story. The first two chapters were filled with info-dumps as the author races through 6 months worth of story, rushing through the events of Adrian's life from the car accident until he's back home and regularly doing at-home sessions with Jim. The actual story doesn't start until Chapter 3 when Adrian meets Nate and that's when the story slows down to a reasonable pace (for the most part). I wish the first two chapters had been left out entirely with important events just being referenced later so those pages could have been devoted to making more important later scenes have more breathing room.
My favorite part was Nate and Adrian's romance because the author went about things in a unique way. This was all fantastic!
As a small note, I also loved the inclusion of Nate's dog Star. She's not a big part of the story but her presence was a great way for Adrian to expand his comfort zone (ex. being willing to spend time at Nate's house so Nate could take care of Star instead of Nate always coming over to Adrian's home). Like Nate, Star doesn't treat Adrian any differently because he's in a wheelchair and that's another major boost to Adrian's self confidence.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the story nearly as satisfying as I was hoping it would be because everything was way too rushed. As I said - the first two chapters were just info-dumps and useless information. There were other scenes along the way (like conversations between Nate and his co-workers) that ate up precious narrative space in a story where space was at a premium, due to the author's desires to take these guys from strangers all the way to within just 80 pages. To accomplish that, there was a huge amount of telling instead of showing and the majority of scenes were rushed. To the author's credit, the relationship development scenes between Nate and Adrian were fine but everything else was rushed. For example, none of Adrian's physical therapy is ever shown on page, we don't get to see how he learns to adjust to life in his wheelchair (ex. navigating around his home, navigating around outside, learning to drive etc) and many non-romance milestones in Adrian's journey were glossed over (like his return to work or re-connecting with old friends).
One of the big casualties to the rushed pacing were the BDSM scenes, which I was disappointed by because that was one of the main attractions of the romance. There are only two BDSM scenes (there was a tiny one where Nate just held Adrian's hands down during sex, but that doesn't count IMO) and both of them were really rushed. They included a wide variety of kinks but they were done so quickly that they felt mechanical and I ended up not caring. It doesn't help that the structure of the story forced the BDSM stuff to not even be a topic of conversation until the final third, which is what led to the rushing. I wish the author had structured things differently (ex. maybe having Nate and Adrian have a previous BDSM partnership) so the BDSM stuff could have been woven in and developed earlier in the relationship.
Overall, I did enjoy this and I liked how Adrian's disability was dealt with in his relationship with Nate. That was really unique and done well. Unfortunately, everything else was really rushed and I ended up wishing this would have been a full length novel.
June 16, 2014
This was a beautiful story! The picture and prompt pulled me in, and the story really was wonderful. I love hurt/comfort themes and this one was just so emotional and sweet. I really loved the characters, the way the story developed, and the beautiful way that the story was written. It has a BDSM tag, but the BDSM was very light. That didn't bother me at all, I thought it was just right for the story. The ending was lovely, as well. I loved that we saw the progression of the relationship and got to see it develop and grow over time. Just perfect. Thank you so much to the author for writing this and for participating in the Love's Landscapes event :)
June 12, 2014
The prompt specified bdsm but this potentially confronting theme didn't fit at all comfortably into the simple plot. The characters were really one dimensional - bitter, depressed paraplegic meets saintly but cute physical therapist. The story consisted of a momentarily sad hospital scene, a few physical challenges and emotional setbacks, lots of tears, some snot, sex with a bit of Yes Sir/No sir, and okely-dokely, Brad Pitt and Ned Flanders are exchanging wedding rings. Gay-time soap.
December 28, 2016
3.5 Stars
June 22, 2018
A lovely story about Nate and Adrian.
Sexy and a nice steady move into love.
Very good read and worth picking up.
Sexy and a nice steady move into love.
Very good read and worth picking up.
November 29, 2014
This is a great story about a man who survives a horrible accident, ends up in a wheelchair, and has to relearn how to deal with life. He isn't very good at it until he meets a guy who dares to push him a little, nudging him in the right direction. Their romance blooms slowly, as does the discovery of what they each like in the bedroom, and the gentle pace of the story was just right for me.
Adrian has a very hard time dealing with the fact he will never walk again. He is grumpy, full of self-pity, and manages to push everyone except his parents and sister away from him. He's even got his physical therapist "trained" not to be too hard on him. And then he meets Nate, who doesn't take no for an answer and Adrian is shocked. His interest is piqued, though, and he is slowly pulled into a closer relationship - very slowly! But the fear of trusting in what they have and then losing Nate is too powerful for him to just give in.
Nate is a great guy, and determined to make Adrian see what he feels for him is more than friendship. He pushes Adrian into doing more, becoming stronger, and believing in himself again. Nate also likes a little "vanilla BDSM" and finds his match in Adrian. Their kinky play brings them closer and helps Adrian build the trust Nate so desperately needs from him.
If you like stories about men who need to adapt to being in a wheelchair and run into some unexpected issues, if you enjoy reading about men who manage to walk into a relationship to make sure they are right for each other rather than jump into it without considering the possible consequences, and if you're looking for a gentle, sweet read with a nice level of heat and some kinky play, then you will probably like this free short story.
Adrian has a very hard time dealing with the fact he will never walk again. He is grumpy, full of self-pity, and manages to push everyone except his parents and sister away from him. He's even got his physical therapist "trained" not to be too hard on him. And then he meets Nate, who doesn't take no for an answer and Adrian is shocked. His interest is piqued, though, and he is slowly pulled into a closer relationship - very slowly! But the fear of trusting in what they have and then losing Nate is too powerful for him to just give in.
Nate is a great guy, and determined to make Adrian see what he feels for him is more than friendship. He pushes Adrian into doing more, becoming stronger, and believing in himself again. Nate also likes a little "vanilla BDSM" and finds his match in Adrian. Their kinky play brings them closer and helps Adrian build the trust Nate so desperately needs from him.
If you like stories about men who need to adapt to being in a wheelchair and run into some unexpected issues, if you enjoy reading about men who manage to walk into a relationship to make sure they are right for each other rather than jump into it without considering the possible consequences, and if you're looking for a gentle, sweet read with a nice level of heat and some kinky play, then you will probably like this free short story.
November 2, 2019
I would have enjoyed this novella more if author didn't try to force a long story into a short one. There were many instances that I was told what happened and how much time has passed. I wanted to see the relationship develop between two men and not get bullet points of it. I liked Nate and his gentle caring nature as well as his patience. Many times I wished for him to throw in the towel because it felt that Adrian was rude just because he could be. His family left him alone for way too long, and it's didn't help matters. The whole BDSM aspect between them was off somehow. I didn't feel great chemistry between them. But that's just me here. The story, however, was well-written nonetheless, and it could have been great for me, had it ended with sort of HFN with promise of more.
June 17, 2014
Was waiting for this one :)
Finished - and it was a wonderful story! Heartwarming, well-rounded and feel good. Believable development and a very nice, fitting HEA!
Finished - and it was a wonderful story! Heartwarming, well-rounded and feel good. Believable development and a very nice, fitting HEA!
August 3, 2016
4 stars
January 9, 2017
Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3
Awww this was a sweet one. I'm a sucker for this type of little gems. Really enjoyed it.
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3
Awww this was a sweet one. I'm a sucker for this type of little gems. Really enjoyed it.
June 13, 2014
Synopsis:
Dear Author,
When I was told I would never walk again and would be stuck in a wheelchair the rest of my life something inside me broke. I put up a cold and tough front to keep everyone at arm’s length; it’s easier that way. No one could ever love a man whose body is covered in scars, whose legs will never work again, who’s lost himself.
Photo Description:
A thin man, wearing only underwear, lies on his side in a low bed with a thin mattress. He appears to be sleeping, though daylight streams in through a window above him. No blanket covers him. A bottle sits on the floor by his side.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
My Thoughts:
Another free short story that I really enjoyed. There's really good pacing and nice slow build romance.
Adrian is a really angry guy throughout a lot of this. You can tell he's a good guy, but what happened to him has him real down on himself and he stays that way for a long time. If it weren't for Nate, who knows how long he would have wallowed in his anger and hopelessness. He wasn't always the nicest guy to be around, but Nate hung in there. Good thing, too. They both end up getting the happiness that they deserved.
This was a really good romance and the sexiness of the sex scenes certainly didn't hurt, either.
I'll have to seek out more stories by Ms. Bishop.
Dear Author,
When I was told I would never walk again and would be stuck in a wheelchair the rest of my life something inside me broke. I put up a cold and tough front to keep everyone at arm’s length; it’s easier that way. No one could ever love a man whose body is covered in scars, whose legs will never work again, who’s lost himself.
Photo Description:
A thin man, wearing only underwear, lies on his side in a low bed with a thin mattress. He appears to be sleeping, though daylight streams in through a window above him. No blanket covers him. A bottle sits on the floor by his side.
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love’s Landscapes" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This story may contain sexually explicit content and is intended for adult readers. It may contain content that is disagreeable or distressing to some readers. The M/M Romance Group strongly recommends that each reader review the General Information section before each story for story tags as well as for content warnings.
My Thoughts:
Another free short story that I really enjoyed. There's really good pacing and nice slow build romance.
Adrian is a really angry guy throughout a lot of this. You can tell he's a good guy, but what happened to him has him real down on himself and he stays that way for a long time. If it weren't for Nate, who knows how long he would have wallowed in his anger and hopelessness. He wasn't always the nicest guy to be around, but Nate hung in there. Good thing, too. They both end up getting the happiness that they deserved.
This was a really good romance and the sexiness of the sex scenes certainly didn't hurt, either.
I'll have to seek out more stories by Ms. Bishop.
December 6, 2014
I was about to put my hands in the hair after the first few pages because ... really? A love between PT and patient that will lead to a relationship that will sound so much of dependence? But no !!! And I sent a sigh of relief.
Another thing I really liked is that Ade had begun to recover before he met Nate. In a way, he found support in his sister and Jim, so it is not improvement in order to keep his boyfriend with him. And what's more important, his desire for independence is admirable, although I enjoyed the words of sister about this topic much more: to accept the help of the people who love you do not mean to depend on them.
The fact that they are both interested in ligh BDSM is a nice coincidence, but I liked the way this fact was handled: BDSM is not therapy, it is an interest.
So 4 stars: because the moral message behind the story I think it's loud and clear!!!
Not 5 star because Nate said 'that he will never leave him' during the early stages of their relationship and it seemed ... wrong ... but mostly for the fact that at that time it would have been better to say that no one can know what will happen in the future, but it sure is worth, right? To emphasize even more the theme of the indipendece (not only in cases of disability, because I think it should be applied to all relationships).
Another thing I really liked is that Ade had begun to recover before he met Nate. In a way, he found support in his sister and Jim, so it is not improvement in order to keep his boyfriend with him. And what's more important, his desire for independence is admirable, although I enjoyed the words of sister about this topic much more: to accept the help of the people who love you do not mean to depend on them.
The fact that they are both interested in ligh BDSM is a nice coincidence, but I liked the way this fact was handled: BDSM is not therapy, it is an interest.
So 4 stars: because the moral message behind the story I think it's loud and clear!!!
Not 5 star because Nate said 'that he will never leave him' during the early stages of their relationship and it seemed ... wrong ... but mostly for the fact that at that time it would have been better to say that no one can know what will happen in the future, but it sure is worth, right? To emphasize even more the theme of the indipendece (not only in cases of disability, because I think it should be applied to all relationships).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2014
Bound is about Adrian who survives a horrible accident. He can’t cope with his paralysed legs and becomes bitter and angry, cuts himself off from life and other people.
Nathan, a physical therapist, is attracted to Adrian right from the start. His cheerfulness doesn’t go down well with Adrien, though. He thinks Nathan is making fun of him and does everything in his power to push him away. But Nathan is patient until he eventually gets a date with Adrian and slowly, very slowly they begin a relationship.
Things get spiced up when Adrien finds out that Nathan is into BDSM like he used to be before the accident took it away from him. Now Adrian seems to get a chance to gain something back from his former life.
The beginning of Bound is quite sad, but step by step the story progresses to a lovely romance. Bound is not so much about BDSM, but about overcoming obstacles and finding a happily ever after despite Adrien’s disability.
Great short story with a beautiful sappy ending. Very well done. :)
May 29, 2015
Adrian has been disabled due to a motorcycle accident, and he's not coping well. He's angry all the time and barely socializes, though he does take his therapy seriously due to his (not-quite-hidden) attraction to Jim.
Jim actually doesn't return Adrian's interest, but Jim's co-worker Nate--a young virile man--does. Adrian's ashamed at his scars and his wheelchair and the shell of the man he has become and shoves Nate away.
Unsuccessfully. YAY!!
Adrian is a good guy with a lot of hurt. Nate is a great guy who doesn't give up. This short read packs a lot of hearty feels. I never pitied Adrian, he was so strong, despite his anger, and I didn't even get mad at his nastiness. He felt really relatable, and he made amends, so I stuck with him. Nate was great. I wanted to marry him, too.
There was some really nice sexytimes for these guys, which were extra creative due to Adrian's paralysis. A bit of super light BDSM--think spankings and edging--made this even more interesting.
It's a free read. I'd totally recommend.
Jim actually doesn't return Adrian's interest, but Jim's co-worker Nate--a young virile man--does. Adrian's ashamed at his scars and his wheelchair and the shell of the man he has become and shoves Nate away.
Unsuccessfully. YAY!!
Adrian is a good guy with a lot of hurt. Nate is a great guy who doesn't give up. This short read packs a lot of hearty feels. I never pitied Adrian, he was so strong, despite his anger, and I didn't even get mad at his nastiness. He felt really relatable, and he made amends, so I stuck with him. Nate was great. I wanted to marry him, too.
There was some really nice sexytimes for these guys, which were extra creative due to Adrian's paralysis. A bit of super light BDSM--think spankings and edging--made this even more interesting.
It's a free read. I'd totally recommend.
June 12, 2014
This story was written for my prompt. Amelia did a great job with it. I would like it even if it wasn't my prompt. It has lots of emotion in it without being really angsty, and there is sweetness too. The BDSM in it is fairly mild and not the main focus of the story, so even if you don't normally like BDSM don't let it deter you from checking out this story. There's also a nicely done HEA. Thank you again Amelia for the wonderful story.
December 24, 2018
Perhaps I'm just not the target audience for this BDSM erotic romance, but I felt it squandered an opportunity to look at the unique challenges of sex and relationships when one character is a paraplegic -- while incomplete paraplegia of course reflects the experiences of many SCI sufferers, I thought it was a cop-out that Adrian has sensation and response in his genitals (and didn't seem to have an embarrassing continence problems either!).
I was also hoping to learn more about what makes BDSM so appealing to some people, but that was taken for granted.
I was also hoping to learn more about what makes BDSM so appealing to some people, but that was taken for granted.
September 14, 2017
3.5 Stars
Read
March 4, 2023DNF @ 35%. I just couldn't get into it. Might try again one day.
May 24, 2015
Imagine waking up one morning loving life. You are a successful accountant; you have wonderful friends and a loving family. It’s an unseasonably warm day for this time of year, so you decide to take your motorcycle out for a spin. The next time you wake up is in a hospital bed surrounded by bright lights, beeping machines, and you can’t feel your legs. That is what happened to Adrian. In the two years since the accident, Adrian has closed himself off from everyone except his family and his physical therapist.
Adrian is in a deep, self loathing depression. The only time he leaves his home is for his physical therapy. It’s during one of his visits that Adrian is noticed by the new therapist, Nate. Adrian is standoffish, brash and downright rude to the guy. Since the accident left him scarred and crippled, Adrian feels he has nothing to offer and the last thing he wants is anyone’s pity. Nate has to dig deep to find the emotions Adrian buried long ago, he has to work hard to prove to Adrian that all he sees is him. A gorgeous, smart, sexy man that can give Nate the most important thing in the world… Love.
Short, Sexy and Steamy! My three favorite colors!! I blew through this book in about an hour, and immediately went back and read it again. The push and pull between the two men in this story is brutal but honest, and well balanced. Adrian has convinced himself that he isn’t worth loving, and even if he were, who could love a man without the use of his legs? A man that is both physically, and mentally scarred? Nate doesn’t even register any of those things, he only sees Adrian.
Slowly but surely Nate starts to break down the barriers Adrian has hidden himself behind. The two become friends before they are lovers. Nate has to build a solid foundation of friendship and trust before Adrian will even consider letting Nate into his life, much less his bed. I must say, I was surprised at how detailed and ripe with content this story was for so few pages. You definitely get a sense of knowing the characters and understanding exactly why Adrian feels the way he does.
A must read for all my fellow hopeless romantics! There is a sprinkle of BDSM, but it’s more of an afterthought really than anything else. So don’t let those four letters turn you off from this story, it is well worth the read. And it’s free through the MM Romance Group’s Love Landscapes event. Did I mention it was steamy, and sexy?
Adrian is in a deep, self loathing depression. The only time he leaves his home is for his physical therapy. It’s during one of his visits that Adrian is noticed by the new therapist, Nate. Adrian is standoffish, brash and downright rude to the guy. Since the accident left him scarred and crippled, Adrian feels he has nothing to offer and the last thing he wants is anyone’s pity. Nate has to dig deep to find the emotions Adrian buried long ago, he has to work hard to prove to Adrian that all he sees is him. A gorgeous, smart, sexy man that can give Nate the most important thing in the world… Love.
Short, Sexy and Steamy! My three favorite colors!! I blew through this book in about an hour, and immediately went back and read it again. The push and pull between the two men in this story is brutal but honest, and well balanced. Adrian has convinced himself that he isn’t worth loving, and even if he were, who could love a man without the use of his legs? A man that is both physically, and mentally scarred? Nate doesn’t even register any of those things, he only sees Adrian.
Slowly but surely Nate starts to break down the barriers Adrian has hidden himself behind. The two become friends before they are lovers. Nate has to build a solid foundation of friendship and trust before Adrian will even consider letting Nate into his life, much less his bed. I must say, I was surprised at how detailed and ripe with content this story was for so few pages. You definitely get a sense of knowing the characters and understanding exactly why Adrian feels the way he does.
A must read for all my fellow hopeless romantics! There is a sprinkle of BDSM, but it’s more of an afterthought really than anything else. So don’t let those four letters turn you off from this story, it is well worth the read. And it’s free through the MM Romance Group’s Love Landscapes event. Did I mention it was steamy, and sexy?
March 25, 2016
Bound was written for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s 2014 Love’s Landscapes Event. It’s the story of Adrian and Nathan and their growing relationship. It’s told in third person through the eyes of both Adrian and Nathan.
Adrian has been injured in a motorcycle accident and has lost the use of his legs. He's become bitter, angry and depressed. He pities himself, believing he’ll never find another boyfriend and will only end up having pity sex periodically for the rest of his life. Over a year has passed and he’s lost his friends and pushes people away. He’s been going to physical therapy and after a while meets Nathan, a physical therapist.
Nathan is a nice, cheerful, persistent guy. He’s attracted to Adrian right off the bat, but Adrian thinks Nathan is making fun of him, so he pushes Nathan away. But Nathan is patient until he eventually is able to get a date with Adrian under the guise of a ‘therapy session.’ Because of Adrian’s insecurity and anger, Nathan has to contend with a lot, but he keeps urging Adrian to push himself to go out, do more and learn more. There’s a lot of contention in their relationship.
One evening by accident, Adrian finds out that Nathan is into BDSM like Adrian used to be before his accident. Now Adrian has a chance to gain something back from his former life. In this story the BDSM is light so I think many people who don’t like BDSM, might actually be able to read this. I think those who are looking for harder core BDSM will be disappointed.
The author did a great job with the progression of Adrian’s and Nathan’s relationship. There were no magic fixes, either mentally, emotionally or physically. It all took a lot of hard work. The plot would jump through time. It would focus on an event then jump a few weeks or months into the future at various times throughout the story. I would get into the story, but the jumping in time would pull me out. I think this was the main problem I had with the story. Other than that I liked that this wasn’t instant love and it was a relationship that took it’s time to grow, just like real life.
Despite starting on a very sad note, this is a happy story. Bound is not so much about BDSM, but about overcoming obstacles and finding your happily ever after. I give this story 4.5 stars and raise it to 5 Stars.
Adrian has been injured in a motorcycle accident and has lost the use of his legs. He's become bitter, angry and depressed. He pities himself, believing he’ll never find another boyfriend and will only end up having pity sex periodically for the rest of his life. Over a year has passed and he’s lost his friends and pushes people away. He’s been going to physical therapy and after a while meets Nathan, a physical therapist.
Nathan is a nice, cheerful, persistent guy. He’s attracted to Adrian right off the bat, but Adrian thinks Nathan is making fun of him, so he pushes Nathan away. But Nathan is patient until he eventually is able to get a date with Adrian under the guise of a ‘therapy session.’ Because of Adrian’s insecurity and anger, Nathan has to contend with a lot, but he keeps urging Adrian to push himself to go out, do more and learn more. There’s a lot of contention in their relationship.
One evening by accident, Adrian finds out that Nathan is into BDSM like Adrian used to be before his accident. Now Adrian has a chance to gain something back from his former life. In this story the BDSM is light so I think many people who don’t like BDSM, might actually be able to read this. I think those who are looking for harder core BDSM will be disappointed.
The author did a great job with the progression of Adrian’s and Nathan’s relationship. There were no magic fixes, either mentally, emotionally or physically. It all took a lot of hard work. The plot would jump through time. It would focus on an event then jump a few weeks or months into the future at various times throughout the story. I would get into the story, but the jumping in time would pull me out. I think this was the main problem I had with the story. Other than that I liked that this wasn’t instant love and it was a relationship that took it’s time to grow, just like real life.
Despite starting on a very sad note, this is a happy story. Bound is not so much about BDSM, but about overcoming obstacles and finding your happily ever after. I give this story 4.5 stars and raise it to 5 Stars.
August 8, 2015
My Review:
I bought (which is actually a false statement since the book is FREE) this book based on a review I saw from someone else. Being dissatisfied with my current read and just a couple of hours before bedtime, I thought this might be a good, quick escape for me. It was.
Adrian was in a motorcycle accident that left him a paraplegic and wheelchair bound. The story begins when he first wakes up in the hospital and then follows him throughout the next three years as he adjusts, reluctantly, to his new world. Adrian is like most of us in that he is NOT happy about this. He feels sorry for himself and sinks into quite a depression. He can't see that he will ever have a normal life. It was easy to see how that could all happen and it felt very real.
Nate is a physical therapist at the clinic where Adrian gets his treatments, but he's not Adrian's therapist. I loved Nate and how he sees the possibilities even when Adrian is doing everything possible to push him away.
This is a short book that covers three years, so there's a lot of paragraphs that brush over huge periods of time. I completely understood the need for that for a novella, but it created some separation for me as the reader from the story. It felt more like watching a movie rather than being in the book with the characters. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Like I said, you have to do that with this length of novel, but I didn't get quite as emotionally involved because of that.
But the book provided a great, quick evening's distraction. I did enjoy the story and the characters and am happy I picked it up and read it.
I bought (which is actually a false statement since the book is FREE) this book based on a review I saw from someone else. Being dissatisfied with my current read and just a couple of hours before bedtime, I thought this might be a good, quick escape for me. It was.
Adrian was in a motorcycle accident that left him a paraplegic and wheelchair bound. The story begins when he first wakes up in the hospital and then follows him throughout the next three years as he adjusts, reluctantly, to his new world. Adrian is like most of us in that he is NOT happy about this. He feels sorry for himself and sinks into quite a depression. He can't see that he will ever have a normal life. It was easy to see how that could all happen and it felt very real.
Nate is a physical therapist at the clinic where Adrian gets his treatments, but he's not Adrian's therapist. I loved Nate and how he sees the possibilities even when Adrian is doing everything possible to push him away.
This is a short book that covers three years, so there's a lot of paragraphs that brush over huge periods of time. I completely understood the need for that for a novella, but it created some separation for me as the reader from the story. It felt more like watching a movie rather than being in the book with the characters. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Like I said, you have to do that with this length of novel, but I didn't get quite as emotionally involved because of that.
But the book provided a great, quick evening's distraction. I did enjoy the story and the characters and am happy I picked it up and read it.
August 8, 2015
Great short read!
This is what I love about the book world that I live in ~ especially on Facebook and Goodreads ~ I was going through my FB notifications and I clicked on Bike Book Reviews (they're awesome!) and Bound just happened to be posted ~ there you go! Clicked on the link and made some new friends in a few minutes time just discussing that book and talking to the author ~ this story was published as a part of the Love's Landscape promotion that goes on over at MM Romance Group on GR ~ it's great ~ readers ask writers from that site to come up with a short story based on their own idea or a pic or whatever inspired the reader! Some clever stories have been published ~
Bound is the story of Adrian, who survived a terrible accident but his injuries were life changing to say the least ~ His body heals (as much as it could) through physical therapy and time but mentally he is a wreck ~ luckily for Adrian, he gets more than what he could have ever dreamed of from the very person who helped strengthen his body ~ the story was fast paced and detailed just enough for a short story and the chemistry was believable and endearing between Adrian and Nate. In the end, it never ceases to amaze me, whether fact or fiction, what the power of love can do to us all. Great job by Amelia Bishop.
This is what I love about the book world that I live in ~ especially on Facebook and Goodreads ~ I was going through my FB notifications and I clicked on Bike Book Reviews (they're awesome!) and Bound just happened to be posted ~ there you go! Clicked on the link and made some new friends in a few minutes time just discussing that book and talking to the author ~ this story was published as a part of the Love's Landscape promotion that goes on over at MM Romance Group on GR ~ it's great ~ readers ask writers from that site to come up with a short story based on their own idea or a pic or whatever inspired the reader! Some clever stories have been published ~
Bound is the story of Adrian, who survived a terrible accident but his injuries were life changing to say the least ~ His body heals (as much as it could) through physical therapy and time but mentally he is a wreck ~ luckily for Adrian, he gets more than what he could have ever dreamed of from the very person who helped strengthen his body ~ the story was fast paced and detailed just enough for a short story and the chemistry was believable and endearing between Adrian and Nate. In the end, it never ceases to amaze me, whether fact or fiction, what the power of love can do to us all. Great job by Amelia Bishop.
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