I have read and loved this series and shamefully begged for this ARC.

“Minding Their Manners” is the long awaited continuation – not a sequel - of the story that started back in 2014 with “Playing the Game”. See Goodreads reviewer Krysteena for a good spoiler-free summary of the books in this series, which you actually need to read to get here.

This series in whole is BDSM Erotica MMF. The BDSM is more D/s that S/M. We have an old soul “smoldering artist” Dominant/Master in Henry whose job is to set up the games and make sure everyone has fun. Then there is joyful service submissive bottom in Jay aka “flirty bike-boy”, who is Henry’s longtime partner. Finally there is Alice, the main protagonist for the previous main (not prequel or additional) books, she is a mechanical engineer who moved into the apartment across the hall from Henry and Jay. She is brought into their life as a hoped for and loved third to the triad, her kink status develops over the series.

MTM is told in the POV of all three main characters. While the general theme of the book is family dynamics, it really spotlights on Jay and the culmination of growth that has been shown from the past 5 years (timeline in the books from when he first meets Henry to the current time). All the struggles he has faced and has slowly overcome in the previous books are really shown here in such layered ways. The solid confidence in Henry and Alice’s love has only given him a foundation on which he has personally grown through leaps and bounds. He has cultivated and developed his own relationships with submissives he has met from the club, and draws from them new understandings of himself as he navigates into uncharted territory – accepting that it’s ok to be submissive and in love with a man as well as a woman.


Fans of Jay have been rooting for him, and this is where we get our payoff! (Light plot spoilers ahead)
MTM opens up literally days after the previous book “Finding Their Balance” when Alice’s little sister Oliva stays over at their home while attending a conference in Boston. While the beginning of the visit was rocky, Alice and Olivia were able to clear up some misunderstandings and come to some new revelations on who they are and how they have perceived each other over the years. The visit ends with Olivia treating Henry and Jay as brothers and family.

This visit, as well as conversations with other submissive men outside the home has given Jay the confidence to finally come out to his family in not just his sexuality, but his relationship and kink status. While Henry and Alice harbor no illusions on how such a revelation will be received by his overbearing sister Peggy, Jay has convinced himself that it will go just as the visit with Alice’s sister went. He anticipates some loud conversation and fighting to begin, with explanations and answers followed by acceptance into the family. Jay is so sure that this is going to happen that he decides to call up his mother and tell her that he’s bringing “Two very special people” to the family Labor Day gathering.

MTM is a big book, and covers a lot of ground, as well as set up new possible storylines for future (hint, hint). While Jay’s arc is a big one, that is by no means the entirety of this book. We get to see Alice growing into her Domme role with Jay and encouraging him to enjoy impact play (yet another milestone for Jay) while practicing her own flogger wielding moves. We finally see inside Henry’s art studio in the apartment which until that day has never been show to Alice or Jay (no particular reason). We meet Henry’s mother and spend some time at her home where love and acceptance rule. Henry finally shows Alice that Christmas art project he has kept treasured in secret, and she doesn’t bolt.

If you haven’t read the series yet, and are questioning if you should, consider reading the mid-series novella “Three Way Tie” for an introduction instead of reading the reviews. I will say that if you are looking for a dark BDSM read, or one with the typical Alpha Dom’s who are some kind of military/spy/special ops during the day and expert whip holders at night, or the Billionaires who get their virgins, that isn't this series. However, if you like cerebral kink without stressing over gender norms and expectations, and want to be left feeling good about what you have spent your time and money on, not just an empty calorie book, please continue reading this series and beg for more. ( )