Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Finding Finley
SERIES: Finding
AUTHOR: Riley Hart
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 462 pages
RELEASE DATE: January 29, 2020
BLURB:
FINLEY
I may be young, but I know what I want.
I yearn to be submissive, both in and out of the bedroom. There’s nothing I crave more than being under the control of another man. Handing over power would fulfill a need I feel down to the marrow of my bones.
What I don’t know is how to get it. This kind of relationship requires complete trust—something I don’t give to anyone except my only friend.
Then along comes Dr. Aidan Kingsley. For the third time in my life, he helps me, without even knowing it, and someone like that, I can’t help but believe in. This is the man I’m meant to be on my knees for. Aidan is meant to be my Sir.
AIDAN
I’ve never had a full-time submissive.
I’ve certainly never had a houseboy, but when I meet Finley, I can’t seem to turn him away.
Instead, I decide to keep things simple, showing Finley that he can take pride on his knees but also stand on his own. He takes care of my home, and he gives me control, in a strictly platonic way, even though he wants more. He’s so beautiful, so naturally submissive, that I’m having a hard time sticking to my rules.
The more he flourishes and the more he craves from me, the tougher I find it to deny him. Before I know it, he’s under my skin. In my bed and in my heart. It wasn’t supposed to go this far. I was only supposed to give him the tools he needed to find his own strength, yet somehow, in the finding of Finley, I found myself too.
But my precious boy is only twenty; nineteen years my junior. And as I’ve told him, forever is a long time, and nothing in life is guaranteed.
REVIEW:
The only family Finley ever had was his mom who was disowned when she got pregnant. She loved her son and worked hard to keep them afloat but then died when he was just fourteen. Three years later, Finley and his foster brother, Ian, ran away from their foster home and have been managing to get by in a small, shared apartment since. But he’s not happy. Now at nineteen, something is missing from his life – something he needs to feel safe, grounded, and whole. It isn’t until he watches porn highlighting a submissive in domestic servitude that he recognizes the missing piece in his life. He wants to be owned and give himself to serve a man.
A random encounter at a restaurant leaves him in the care of Dr. Aiden Kinsley when he gets sick, and the doctor takes him back to his home. As a Dom, Aiden immediately recognizes the submissive tendencies in the boy. Their desires and needs intersect: Finley aches for his life to be structured and controlled by a Dom and wants to be on his knees in service; Aiden yearns for a sub to care for and guide to his fill potential through domestic discipline. Aiden knows he’s in deep when the “beautifully submissive” Finley kneels at his feet. He’s everything Aiden longs for, even with his propensity for brattiness and back talk. Punishment is fun, after all.
But at nearly twice his age, Aiden is afraid of taking advantage of Finley, who’s not only young but wholly inexperienced. He takes a chance, though, and offers Finley the opportunity to be his full-time submissive as a paid houseboy. There’s one massive condition that makes Finley very unhappy – there will be no sex. Aiden feels Finley is far too vulnerable to mix in sex and doesn’t want the younger man to feel obligated. Indeed, as their relationship progresses, it’s clear Aiden never takes advantage of his sub. He is unfailingly kind, generous and caring, and always conscious of making it clear to Finley that he isn’t indebted. Finley lacks for nothing.
The most prominent side characters – Finley’s BFF Ian, college buddy Jordan, and Aiden’s closest friend David – all appealed to me and clearly they’re being set up for future appearances.
Age difference – even a very large one – is a trope I thoroughly enjoy. I also like a variety of BDSM and kink stories, including full-time D/s domestic servitude. In the case of Aiden and Finley, though, it didn’t quite work for me because Finley feels much younger than his years and is so needy. I went into the book well aware and comfortable with the age gap but it ended up feeling uncomfortable. Furthermore, I never connected with Finley, nor did I feel strong chemistry between the leading men. They certainly love and cherish each other but it doesn’t come across as a burning passion. That said, the sex and BDSM play are hot. Because other reviews of Finding Finley are overwhelmingly positive, I feel safe in saying this is an “it’s me, not you” scenario.
Sometimes a book just doesn’t fully resonate with a reader; a reading experience will undoubtedly be affected by what’s going on in the reader’s life at the time. Maybe they haven’t had enough chocolate lately! So while not every aspect of this book was successful for me personally, I can comfortably recommend it, in part because of Riley Hart’s superb writing skills as exhibited here and in the somewhere around five dozen novels she’s penned. To devotees of the author, like myself, who enjoy this flavor of kink, I say give it a try. Also, for any M/M romance readers curious about kink, BDSM, domestic discipline/servitude, and basic Dominant/submissive dynamics, Finding Finley will provide a solid introduction. This is light BDSM and doesn’t incorporate heavy impact play or serious bondage. I hope you enjoy the book and the perfect cover! I look forward to more books in the Finding series.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: