Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Bonds of Love
SERIES: Bay Area Professionals #2
AUTHOR: Mickie B. Ashling
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 270 pages
BLURB:
Sequel to Impacted!
Getting to know each other hasn’t been an easy journey for Scott Gregory and Robin “Red” Kennedy. Falling in love and exploring their kinkier sides revealed a perfect match, and Scott is a devoted sub to Red’s headstrong and often impulsive Dominant personality.
Scott, Robin, and their friend, Susie, open a new dental practice a short distance from the old office but miles away from Scott’s former boss and his Promise Keeper mentality. But the move doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. Robin’s mother is in a medical crisis. Scott’s grandfather makes an unexpected appearance. Ongoing interference from Jenna, Ron’s needy assistant, stirs up trouble. And Susie, having completed her training as a Dominatrix, is on a quest for the perfect male submissive.
Then there’s one more threat to their relationship: Robin’s desire for a public collaring, something the shy and formerly closeted Scott is having a really hard time accepting. Is a strong and binding love, albeit a kinky one, enough to keep Scott and Robin together?
REVIEW:
This second book in the Bay Area Professionals series by Mickie B. Ashling picks up a couple months after Impacted! Scott and Robin have opened a new dental practice with Scott’s good friend from college and dental assistant Susie. Susie is independently wealthy and is a help with her financial assistance to help bankroll the new practice. They are all thrilled to be free of the controlling and evil homophobic Dr. Ron Morris, their former boss. Scott is still reeling from the confessions of Ron’s long time assistant Jenna about his early life. Jenna is desperate to keep Scott in her life and makes no bones about her desires to have him come back to Dr. Morris’s practice. She is still in love with the older and despicable dentist although he is blind to her faithfulness. Scott, Robin and Susie’s new practice is thriving while Dr. Morris’s is taking a financial nosedive. His archaic ways are an example of his need to retire, but his bank account won’t allow. He is willing to take dangerous risks to try and succeed.
Robin’s mom Denise, has a much more prevalent role in this second book with serious health issues that put a slight damper on the boys play while she is stays with them during her recuperation from surgery. I especially loved seeing the interactions of Denise and Jenna’s dad, who is also Scott’s Grandfather, David. I hope to see more of their story in the future. It was refreshing to see a writer include a storyline of older characters in a sweet and touching romance. I also enjoyed the expanding storyline of Susie’s struggles with her sexual and personal desires and the journey to fulfill them. Adrian and Susie’s story was a twist that I didn’t see coming but was pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to more of their story also.
I was pleasantly thrilled that the second book in this series was just as good as the first and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Fractured. I give this book in the Bay Area Professionals series another enthusiastic 4.5 stars.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
Thank you for this lovely and thorough review, as well as the one for Impacted! I was so excited to find my Bay Area Professional Series getting mentioned on your site. Very much appreciated!
It was a pleasure and I have truly enjoyed this series. I look forward to reading and reviewing more of the series as they are released.