After four tours in Afghanistan, Warren Groves couldn’t settle into civilian life. For the last twelve years, he’s survived by working odd and often illegal jobs for some of Denver’s less fortunate. His personal life is equally unsatisfactory. He can barely remember the last time he had sex, let alone the last time he got to use somebody hard and rough, the way he likes. Fate intervenes when a … favor for a friend leads him to a pretty young rentboy named Taylor Reynolds.
Taylor’s spent the last few years on his own, working as a hustler, going home with anybody who’ll give him a warm meal and a place to sleep. He enjoys having a bit of force used against him, and he makes Warren an offer he can’t refuse — all the sex he wants, as rough and dirty as he likes, in exchange for room and board.
At first, Warren thinks he’s struck gold. Taylor’s the perfect roommate — he cooks, he cleans, and he’s dynamite in the sack. But Taylor has some dark demons in his head and some even darker cravings. Falling for somebody as volatile as Taylor is dangerous enough, but when Taylor’s urges turn truly self-destructive, it’ll be up to Warren to decide just how far to let things go.
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I would rate this 4.75 stars.
The blurb here tells you the whole plot. Warren is ex-military, with survivor’s guilt, and has created a life for himself many would feel was unconventional. He helps people in his own way, but isn’t terribly happy. Taylor is a rent boy with past demons whose moments of fleeting happiness aren’t enough to give him a life raft. When these two damaged people meet, it’s a case of them finding the right puzzle piece–they match in the way they both most need. I’m not talking about love conquers all, but rather hope giving them each the chance to make changes, make different decisions to increase their happiness. I loved both these characters. I always felt like they were real people. For me, there is a HEA, but I feel like they are both out there, stuggling to continue to make the best choices for them.
This novel goes to some dark places, so pay attention to the tags. I will highlight two things because, frankly, this book is awesome and I don’t want people leaving bad reviews just because it isn’t their cup of tea. There is humiliation. There is urination. Although a flogger and BDSM eqipment is used, it’s not really the focus of this book. The author concentrates on the psychology of the characters and their daily lives. There is no “play.” Also, Taylor is a whore and has sex with multiple people in this book. There is no cheating because there is no expectation of monogamy at the time, but I know some people don’t like that. I felt like this was all very realistic and well written without feeling full of tropes. Yes, there is an age gap and plenty of hurt/comfort, with a power exchange–they are there because they are real for this couple, not just to have a list of buzzwords to attract readers. In other words, things aren’t just there to be salacious, not that they aren’t intriguing, just that it is all very heartbreaking and heartwarming in turns.
If I have any small complaint, it’s that I wanted to see more of Warren’s friends and have them be as real also. They all get books, so I will have my wish, but it would have made this even more compelling. I don’t feel like I know Warren’s friend Charlie as well as Taylor’s friend Riley, for instance. Then again, everyone’s life is very bleak already, so focusing on this bubble of happiness that Warren and Riley fight hard to create by being truthful and brave…that is everything and it is more than enough.
I always love Marie Sexton’s books, but I especially loved this one. I bought it expecting one thing and got another thing entirely from it. I’m always a fan of characters who push the boundaries and reflect certain ugly and uncomfortable truths about life and real people’s experiences, but are given their happy ending despite the judgements many would put on them. If you’re looking for an easy escape, this might not be for you. If you’re looking for compelling characters, steamy-but-conflicted scenes, and situations that will make you squirm, this is your jam. It’s definitely mine.
Warren and Taylor.
Two broken men who found each other by accident. Although I opted into reading this book because of its advertised BDSM content (and the sexy soldier, duh!), I cannot deny that Marie managed to take me into another world and let me watch a love blossom. This is a romance, no doubt about it, but it has a quality to it. Warren and Taylor feel real and relatable. The scenes are realistic. I can feel the anger and the madness. Warren could have easily been one of the characters I’d come up with. A tough soldier, seeking justice. A man with a story, a tragedy, just like Taylor which is why those two work so well together. They both have well thought out voids that keep them going.
This is not one of these “light romances”. No. It is a story you’ll keep thinking about once you’ve put the book down. Once it is over, it really isn’t.
It is realistic. It is raw. And oh so painful.
It is said an author should make the reader feel. And I felt it. God, I felt the pain that ate away at Warren when he had to watch his lover get ravished by his blackness. It twisted in my chest.
At first, I was hesitant about the amount of smut scenes in the book, but, oh, don’t you worry! There are a lot of juicy (BDSM-heavy) scenes and a palpable tension between the characters. However, the book is about the characters, not the sex, and yet, Marie took away all those layers that authors tend to add and stripped it down to its very basics: the emotion, the connection, the intrusion, in a way.
If you’re looking for a lovey-dovey erotic journey, this is definitely not it. But if you’re in for the real deal, I’d like to encourage you to grab that copy now!
I’ve read this author. I listened to the audiobook. This is a contemporary mm story. Main characters Warren and Taylor. This story was hard to listen to at times, so raw and honest. Life is not pretty sometimes. These two find a way forward despite what is thrown at them. I’ll read more from this series.
Audiobook review:
Overall: 5
Performance: 5
Story: 5
Wonderful audio performance by John Solo.
One Man’s Trash is a darker book than my normal read but I love John Solo’s narrations and I’ve really enjoyed the Marie Sexton books I’ve read. The other bonus for me was that I listened to it through Audible Escape.
Parts of this story were just heartbreaking. I don’t want to imagine the things that Taylor went through, is still going through. But, this story does have a HFN and Warren and Taylor help each other and grow to love each other.
The audio book kept my attention to the point that I put aside other things I should have been doing. It’s long-ish at 12 hours so I couldn’t listen to it in one session but it kept me up way past my bedtime more than one night.
John Solo is absolutely one of my top 5 audiobook performers.
Original review: https://myshelfbooks.wordpress.com/2018/08/01/one-mans-trash-marie-sexton/
The book is eveything the blurb promises: rough sex, secrets and dark cravings… I thought I could handle it, but it seems I can’t. I’m not a prude (if I were I wouldn’t touch Romance books), but there are several situations in this book thas have rubbed me the wrong way.
But let’s start from the beginning. We meet Warren, a former soldier that spends his days helping other people in barely legal jobs: bodyguard of escorts (a.k.a. prostitutes), muscle for desperate people and many other things. He is lonely and, if you ask me, a bit tired of his life. Then we meet Taylor (or TJ or BJ…), a much younger guy that ran away from his home and became a rentboy. It’s a sex addict that that never says no… Their fates collided and Taylor ended up living with Warren. Free roof and food in exchange of sex.
At least that is how it started. We barely knew them when they were already tearing up each other clothes. The first encounter was pretty impersonal and I was scared that the whole book would be like that. The author spices it up a little bit adding a BDSM element: soft bondage. Warren likes to tie people up to his bed and Taylor doesn’t mind. As a reader, I don’t mind either. The author doesn’t use this to humillate Taylor. It makes the trust between each other grow considerably.
Eveything was starting to look peachy: Warren has a lot of different layers that make him very interesting, the sex is fun, the side stories are enjoyable, Warren’s friends are a pleasure to read… And then it happens: Taylor’s breakdown. I wasn’t epecting it. I’m a guy that enjoys a good shock when reading, but this one left me with a very sour aftertaste. I felt that his cravings were more of a childish behaviour than something dark and serious. Even worse than that: the author has to twist Warren’s behaviour to counteract the crazy tantrum of his roommate… I have to be honest: that made me dislike Taylor.
But the worst was yet to come… The explanation of Taylor’s “bad days” made me sick. It’s not only the incest with his brother when he was still a minor. If that wasn’t enough, the brother was abusive. I guess I should have been able to feel some kind of pity towards Taylor, but his way of dealing with it destroyed any chance of that. He claims he loves him. That no one understands him. He talks as if nothing was wrong. And Warren is nice enough to accept the explanation… I just wanted to scream: “Take him to an expert!! The guy need helps, not a slap on the back!!”. But Taylor’s quest of making me puke wasn’t finish… Do you know what this messed-up guy takes for love? Being urinated by someone who is still inside him during sex… That’s plain gross. And the author talks about it several times… I couldn’t handle it. I was losing my mind yelling at Taylor. My dislike became hatred.
I think I could have ignored Taylor if the side stories were better. I mean, they are good, but so depressing. Were are the happy endings? Susan, Riley… The book feels pessimistic and so unfair that the only one with the happy ending is Taylor… Writing this review I have realized I’m angry at him. He has ruined a nice book about Warren. I actually feel weird after reading the book. Why an emotional story has such a disgusting residue in my memory?
I’m not sure if I will read the second book. The main characters will be different, so I guess it’s safe to assume that I won’t find another Taylor. But I’m honestly scared of picking it up…
Fans of dark erotica, rejoice! Marie Sexton has completely outdone herself with One Man’s Trash, the first installment in her The Heretic Doms Club series. Angsty and gritty (with just about every trigger warning I can think of) this is a powerful and heart-rending tale. This story affected me so deeply, just thinking of everything that happened, makes me want to scroll back and experience it all over again.
It is wonderful watching this drama unfold. Marie Sexton made me so happy with the variety of taboo subjects she explores in One Man’s Trash. The characters are complex and interesting, and seeing them grow and change together throughout the story is incredibly moving. As the tension builds, Sexton continues to layer on the drama. This book is dark and erotic and absolute perfection.
I’m completely blown away by the depth of emotion John Solo brings to these characters. Taylor’s anguish, when he breaks down, is absolutely palpable. And Warren’s evolution as the story progresses, as he sheds his bitterness and anger and opens his heart, well I could actually feel it happening. John Solo delivers an incredible performance. This is the best I’ve ever heard him, and considering what a huge fan I am, that’s really saying something!
While the details of Taylor and Warren’s pasts are horrible to learn about (and one of the reasons I’m not saying too much about the story), there are some intensely beautiful moments in One Man’s Trash. I was so moved by the analogy of the mended vase. Warren’s friend Charlie tells Taylor, “‘It’s a Japanese thing. They think when an item’s broken, it doesn’t make it useless. It just adds interest. Becomes part of the item’s history. And the history is what makes it beautiful.’” Though it is broken it still has value, Warren cherishes that vase. One man’s trash, and all that.
Three more books are planned for this series, one for each of the three remaining members of The Heretic Dom’s Club. I can’t wait to get to know each of these men better and find out how they complete their stories. The only thing I’m looking forward to more is hearing John Solo read them to me.
This is not your typical romance. Not by a long shot. Warren is ex-military. He’s strong and patient. He’s a lot more patient than I gave him credit for initially. Despite our introduction to Taylor, you can just feel that he has so much goodness and light in him. Don’t be fooled though, he has a demon that follows him. It’s large, dark, and very, very ugly. Warren and Taylor each give the other something they desperately need, but their journey is not an easy one. I knew when I started this book that I’d end up on one heck of an emotional roller-coaster ride. I felt A LOT while reading this book. I even had to put my Kindle down and take a breather a couple times. This book is definitely NOT for everyone. I would pay heed to the author’s trigger warnings before diving in. While this is a little bit darker than I would normally go for when choosing a book to read, I don’t regret taking this journey with Warren and Taylor. In fact, I’ve already downloaded Terms of Service. I love a book that makes me think about it days later, and this one definitely doing that!
I am loving this series by Marie Sexton. It stands out from other series with a BDSM-type theme because the characters are unique. In One Man’s Trash, Taylor is a damaged young man who uses dangerous sex as a way of combating a dark void inside him. There’s some history of abuse and grief in the mix. He’s spiraling out of control when he ends up with Warren, an older guy who helps him find a stability he’s been lacking and a love that’s not all about sex. Taylor goes through some dark times — and this book isn’t light reading — but in the end you feel uplifted. You see Taylor grow and change, and you see that he has a hopeful future.
I recently finished the sequel, Terms of Service, which focuses on Warren’s friend Phil. The series revolves around a group of friends who have all been doms but have lost their loved ones for one reason or another. Phil and River’s story is very different from Warren and Taylor’s. For one thing, Phil’s sexual interests lie specifically in control — in and out of the bedroom. He keeps his emotions in check, unable to express them well, to the extent that River isn’t sure Phil feels anything for him right at first. River has never before been in the lifestyle, so this book comes from a perspective of the confusion that someone feels as they try to navigate a foreign situation. While it’s not quite as heavy as One Man’s Trash, there’s a lot of emotion, character growth, and love in this story. I really enjoyed their romance.
Again, even though the books have BDSM themes and some kinky scenes, there’s so much more substance to them. You’ll come out the other side impressed by Marie’s storytelling abilities.