Bi Now, Gay Later (Perfect Timing, #5) by Kim Dare
Blurb:
Book five in the Perfect Timing Series
Can a bi submissive really find happiness with a master who doesn’t believe bisexuality exists?
Jerry would be Denton’s ideal submissive – if only he would just get his last foot out of the closet and admit he’s properly gay. Denton loves Jerry, but he knows it’s a master’s responsibility to make sure his submissive doesn’t lie to himself or the rest of the world. He can’t let Jerry hide behind the bi-sexual label forever.
Jerry has no doubt that he’s one-hundred percent bi-sexual. He’s also well aware how much his master hates that fact. Jerry loves his master and he wants to please him, but he can’t lie and say he’s gay when he knows he’s not. Denton would be Jerry’s ideal master, if he could just accept the fact he’s bi.
Eventually, somebody’s going to have to give in and admit he’s wrong. The only question is who?
Reader Advisory: The stories in this collection are linked solely by theme. Each story can be read on it’s own and the stories can be read in any order.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
[THANK YOU Advisory! This is the first time a series has a disclaimer about how the stories could be read. THANK YOU! I wish more authors/publishers followed this. I’m tempted to write a thank you letter to them just for that. ]
Review:
With a title like “Bi Now, Gay Later” who wouldn’t want to read this? Aside from the great title, the fifth story in Perfect Timing series feels very classic Kim Dare. Although I don’t think I’ve read any of the others in this particular series, I have read other Dare offerings so I knew what to expect. Those familiar with the author will recognize the pretty typical D/s pairing with heavy rituals and titles. There is the ubitiquous club scene and a big misunderstanding, but the underlying theme of acceptance is an important issue to tackle. The story does so wrapped up in a lot of hot sex, predictable characters, and a kind of silly resolution. Yet fans of the author won’t mind and likely want to pick this up anyway.
The story follows Jerry, a bisexual submissive that struggles with his master’s dismissal of his sexuality. When Denton tries to force Jerry into admitting he’s gay because Denton doesn’t believe in bisexuality, the resulting misunderstanding could break their relationship apart. Denton and Jerry must come to an understanding if they’re going to be together.
The plot itself is pretty basic but it tackles an interesting question and does so pretty well. It takes the issue of bisexuality and questions it from both sides. There is Denton, a gay man that doesn’t understand or believe in bisexuality. He thinks it’s a crutch and that it means any person wants or needs to be with both men and women to feel complete. Since Jerry seems perfectly happy with him, Denton thinks Jerry just is afraid to come fully out of the closet. This is set against Jerry who shows that his bisexuality just means he loves and is attracted to the person, not the gender. He doesn’t need both to be happy, he just needs one person and the gender is immaterial to him. Some of this is dealt with nicely, especially in several scenes where Jerry tries to describe what it feels like to have his sexuality ignored and dismissed.
If the story had stayed with this theme, it would have been better but instead it tries to draw out the tension and drama too far. There is an intense, emotional scene between Jerry and Denton when Jerry exposes his heart and lays out exactly what he feels and why, to which Denton walks away. This is pretty ridiculous and even more so when his later explanation is revealed. It had me stopping and literally saying “what?” I realize the story is trying to draw out the tension to a big finale, but the entire emotional toll of that conversation and Denton’s ridiculous rejection killed it for me. The later resolution feels weak and while, romantic, I just couldn’t get back into the story.
Aside from the major bump towards the end, the story is a nice look at bisexuality and how it is not always accepted even within the gay community. The few sex scenes are pretty classic BDSM with too many repetitive descriptions and a lot of nicknames. Fans of the author will likely enjoy this one but those looking for something a little different than typical fare may enjoy this as well. Just ignore the “leap the shark” moment in the middle.
Get it HERE!
three am 
Best lj-cut text. Ever.
Thanks!
Great review, Kassa! As for the book, you know how I am about typical BDSM, ha, ha! I’m not sure I could handle another ubiquitous club scene. 🙂 But the bisexuality theme is a really good one. I think bisexuality kind of gets shunned and neglected on both sides from the m/f and m/m romance genres. It is a terrific title, and I’m totally with you on how helpful that advisory statement is. You should write the thank you note! 🙂
Yea I don’t think this one is for you Val. It has all the hallmarks that you hate. I don’t think its a great piece of literature by any stretch. I think it’s just exactly what the author puts out (mass produced, predictable, boring BDSM which yanno for 40 pages I was ok to read since I wanted something easy and forgettable).
As a bisexual who lived through (in my early 20s) not getting help, services, or even a safe place to sit down and breathe because I was a traitor and a coward, the only place this would be going would be the bin. (Apparently, I’m unable to be politic about this kind of thing.)
But, you know, whatever floats people’s boats, right? And, I hate the title.
I do have to ask: does the non-believer ever end up accepting that his partner’s sexuality does exist, or does it end up being a kind of “oh, you’re so quirky and cute, let’s just not fight about it anymore!” thing?
Another note: as a queer person, the title someone puts on a m/m (or gay, or gender-queer, or lesbian, etc.) story has a huge amount to do with whether I will pick a book up. This book could have the most sensitive handling of the issue ever undertaken and I’d still — at most — not pick it up. But it sounds like the title is not the only part of the book that falls down when it comes to addressing the issues.
Oh this isn’t great literature. Let me state that up front. While I don’t mind reading Kim Dare’s books once in a while (err once a year?) they’re targeted for her fan base that wants repetition of what works for her. There is very little variation from book to book, none of it is especially imaginative, though she does try to tackle bigger issues but in a lighter way.
The closest author I can compare this to is Carol Lynne. Perhaps not a flattering comparison based on reading preferences but there you have it. Well CL with kink since Kim Dare does almost exclusively D/s orientated stories. They all read incredibly the same to me, which is why you always know exactly what you’re going to read but not necessarily something you’d ever read again or want to remember.
I actually liked the title because it’s a bad attempt at cleverness. It just worked for me to be honest. However the handling of the bisexuality I think was interesting. The Dom drove me nuts because he flat out refused to accept that bisexuality existed. Does he come around? Well somewhat. The bisexual sub definitely stands his ground and actually leaves the relationship stating that the dom has become a bigoted asshole (true) and the dom takes a while to get it. He initially of course says that the sub can have a chick if he needs one before the sub finally breaks through and makes him realize that someone really can just be attracted to both.
What I liked most about it was the sub’s self confidence and self awareness. He didn’t care what others thought for the most part, he knew what he was. It hurt him that others couldn’t accept him but he finally did get the other guy to see so big romantic ending (*gags a bit*).
I think bisexuality is rarely portrayed with any reality in m/m romances and even more often, displayed badly or in a negative connotation. Like all bisexuals are sluts or need polygamous relationships. But I guess that’s a whole ‘nother post.
Dianne and I write a lot of bisexual characters. We may write them in gay relationships, but we are always clear on it. We are also clear when someone is gay or straight but has had sex with people who are outside their preference, and so on. I have written characters for whom the kink they share with someone overrides their preference for that person’s sex, as well.
I cannot imagine not being bisexual; I have never been anything else. It freaks me out that someone might not not have the capacity to be attracted to both sexes, on the occasions I try imagine *me* being straight or gay. (So, I can understand how it would freak other people out that someone is straight or bi or gay or whatever. I just don’t understand not trying to be compassionate about it.) It’s harder than imagining life in another body, or missing a limb, etc.
I also would never deny or denigrate someone’s interpretation of their sexuality, especially if I were in a relationship with them. I think it’s horrible. That, to me, is negating someone else; and if someone negates your sense of self, how are you going to trust them not to negate other things you think and feel? “That hurts.” “No, it doesn’t.” / “I didn’t like that.” “Yes, you did, you just didn’t know it. I know you did.” / “I don’t want to do that again.” “If you don’t, you’re not really [whatever].” How could you have someone like that as your sex partner, much less your dominant?
So, even if ‘bisexual’ “didn’t exist”, I would accept it if someone said that’s what they were. All preference is an aggregate of past experience and present attraction. It’s not always concrete and it’s not always as cut and dried as media would have you think. When I write gay or straight characters, though, I just write it like that other door is closed and I don’t even see if there’s anything behind it.
I haven’t read this, and doubt I will, to be honest. I couldn’t get past the punny title to even read the blurb when I first saw it for sale.
I kind of liked the title to be honest. I thought it was cute and really typical of the author. Not a great stretch of the imagination but the actual book isn’t either so I didn’t have an issue. It worked for me ! But I can also see why people would roll their eyes (extremely) at the attempt to be clever.