Book Review by Pixie: Performance Review, by Tamryn Eradani

Performance Review, by Tamryn Eradani
Series: Daniel and Ryan, Book Five
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: May 29, 2017

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

After a day testing Daniel’s limits and then a day being spoiled, Daniel has some time to reflect on his and Ryan’s relationship. He thinks they’re ready for their next step; planning a weekend away.

M/M Pairing
Gay Character
Contemporary
Erotica
Novella
BDSM
Workplace/Co-Workers
Friends-to-Lovers

This is absolutely my favorite of this series.

Daniel and Ryan have established a routine, which includes them spending the weekend together starting with Friday night. I think, unknowingly, Daniel has started to accept Ryan as his (for lack of a better word) boyfriend and started making room for him in his life. The weekends are usually spent with some type of play on Saturday, then a quiet Sunday for recuperating.

While I LOVED the type of play the two engage in for the weekend, what I loved more was the relationship progression. It was the subtle shift in Daniel’s focus during the non-play time that spoke volumes to me. Little things he commented on, such as him musing about how the fact that they both ate with different hands was something he liked, because it meant they could sit close on their non-dominate sides while eating without it being interrupting.

There is another scene where he thinks Ryan has tried to hide his disappointment in something, and Daniel notes Ryan’s smile slips and doesn’t reach his eyes, and reassures him of his need to still bond after play. There were all these small actions each of them do during this story that speaks volumes as to where this relationship is moving towards. To me the unspoken actions, especially when not intentional and when one is not guarded, that always meant the most. I ADORED THIS BOOK!

The ending also spoke to me. I am a person who adores a bath, and the scene of the two of them bathing together was EVERYTHING! I liked seeing Daniel taking a chance and Ryan not letting him down. While we still are only getting Daniel’s POV, I realized that maybe I just hadn’t been paying attention to Ryan’s nonverbal reactions to Daniel, and that’s possibly the best way to get his perspective. I really took note in this book of how Ryan tries to take care of Daniel (making him breakfast, having things the way he knows Daniel likes) and how Daniel seemed more at ease. I have plans to go back and read the entire series after the next novella, which I anticipate will be the last.

If you haven’t started the series I think really should.

Tamryn studied English and Creative Writing in school but has been writing since she could first hold a pencil. Recently, she’s turned her focus towards writing erotica. She enjoys writing stories where sex comes first, then feelings, because doing things out of order can be fun.

Tamryn has spent the past few months writing the Daniel and Ryan series with a lovely view of mountains out her window, and she’s now searching for a new mountain range to serve as her backdrop as she begins her next project.