One dominant Marine.One troubled rugby player.The Sin Bin will never be the same.Gray Baird’s to-do list for the year includes starting a restaurant, claiming his submissive, and keeping his nosy friends out of his business. He has his work seriously cut out for him.Scottie Monk prides himself on bullying his way through problems—and sometimes even people. His life is spiralling out of his … people. His life is spiralling out of his control, but he refuses to break. The last thing he expects is to find peace in the confines of submission.
One man will try to tame a lion.
One man will try to heal.
And both men will have to join forces to deal with a toxic family and invasive paparazzi.
The Lion Tamer is book six in Dahlia Donovan’s international bestselling gay romance series, The Sin Bin. Each one features hot rugby players and the men who steal their hearts.
***It is recommended that readers have read at least The Royal Marine and The Unexpected Santa prior to reading The Lion Tamer
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I don’t normally read BDSM centered books, but his one was so good. The two main characters fit together so well. What was especially interesting to me is that they are each an alpha male with strong bodies and minds. For Scottie to submit to Gray is erotic and amazing. This is no twink needs a spanking book. Gotta love it when two well defined characters get their HEA. For those who are a little shy about BDSM, there is a really good story wrapped around their D/s lifestyle. Gray is such a push over for the twins.
Preferred the prequel: could not get excited about the characters
I knew from reading the prequel The Unexpected Santa that there would be some D/s power play between former rugby player Scottie and former U.S. Marine Gray in The Lion Tamer. I just did not expect their play to be so hard core. Their relationship seemed all passion and little emotion.
I found it difficult to connect with these lead characters. Scottie was a mess, arrogant, boozy and full of rage, though he actually matured and improved over the course of the book. Gray seemed a stagnant character and one I did not particularly like apart from his obvious soft spot for Alice and Alex, some autistic twins he befriends. And I really disliked him calling Scottie “kitten.”
The story lost my interest several times and I preferred the much shorter prequel. A good part of my rating is shaped by my lack of interest in the BDSM lifestyle. But even the subplot about Scottie’s troubled relationship with his alcoholic father and his younger half brother did not really grab me.
I read a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Nice, but a bit light and unrealistic on the way the D/s dynamic develops between the characters.
juvenile writing
It turns out that it takes a silver, umm, Gray fox to tame the volatile Scottie. To say that I didn’t like Scottie when he was introduced a couple of books back would be an understatement and that opinion wasn’t much improved with the next book, but this one blew me away. Gray is exactly what Scottie needs as he deals with family issues and past abuse. This pair makes quite the journey together, both personally and as a couple. The story is an emotional one and parts of it are absolutely heart-wrenching. The author does a wonderful job of blending the emotional with moments of levity as the cantankerous Scottie learns to submit even while voicing his not so serious objections the whole way. The book is beautifully written and is easily my favorite in the series so far.
We first met Gray and Scottie in The Unexpected Santa (Sin Bin 5). Gray, ex marine, tired of soldiering, turned chef. Scottie, ex rugby player, falling down drunk most of the time.
Gray just wants a quiet life separate from the sins of his past. He wants to open his own restaurant and finally live his life on his own terms. Which happens to include a belligerent, drunk Scottie.
Scottie, damaged by his past, just wants to live in his numb, drunken haze. Surrounded by friends who only want the best for him but unable to fully accept their help. When he finally gives into whatever it is he feels for Gray it’s life changing. The first time he calls Gray sir, even though he doesn’t really understand the strength of that word, is freeing for him. Scottie craves what Gray gives to him when he submits, peace, strength and though he won’t admit it, love
This book was a surprise. I’ve liked the other players in the series but they have just been interesting characters. Gray and Scottie really jumped off the page for me. Their struggle to work out the problems in their relationship while juggling family, friends, and their own anxieties truly made this an interesting book to read.