Awakened Desires By Colette Davison
Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ, MM
Tropes: BDSM, friends-to-lovers, bi-sexual awakening, kink, slow burn
Released: November 23, 2022
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: My Kinky Housemate, Book 5
Length: 78,000 words
Cover Design: Covers by Jo
Seventeen years ago, my life fell apart. By attempting to protect me, my best friend, Rory, accidentally tore us apart. After being in a dark place, I’m getting my life back on track.
A surprising summons to London threatens to throw my life into disarray once more. It’s probably the worst time to reach out to Rory, yet rekindling our friendship could lead to something new. Something stronger.
Rory and his kinky housemates welcome me and open my eyes to things I never thought I’d be interested in. When my life gets more complicated, Rory is there to help. The closer we get, the more I realise I want more than friendship. Will past trauma stop me from having what—or who—I want now?
Awakened Desires is a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn romance with a first-time dad, a bi-sexual awakening, several first experiences, some hurt/comfort, and sensory play. It’s the fifth book in the My Kinky Housemate series. While it can be read as a standalone, it’s better to read it as part of the series.
Trigger warning: One of the main characters is an alcoholic who has been sober for some time and was a victim of abuse in their youth.
Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003
I loved Rory and Callan’s story!
Awakened Desires is a fantastic story! Friends-to-lovers and second chance stories are two of my favorite romance tropes and this one is wonderful. If you’ve read the other books in this series, you really won’t want to miss this one. Rory and Callan were best friends nearly from birth then Callan was gone without warning and Rory was devastated. Now Callan has called and needs Rory’s help.
This is a sweet story with much lighter kink than the other books. We’ve learned a bit about Rory during the other books in the series but he’s always been the quiet one of all of the housemates. Like the other books, this one is told in first person with chapters alternating between Rory and Callan.
I won’t give away what brings Callan back into Rory’s life but it is life-changing for him. Being back in Rory’s life also ends up being life-changing and it’s no spoiler to say that they become really close. I loved how Rory put his feelings for Callan aside to focus on giving him the help that he needs. All of the housemates prove how wonderful and supportive they are when Callan comes to stay with them for a while.
It’s so hard to pick a favorite in this series because they’ve all been great but I really love the gentler tone of this story. The way all of the housemates pull together to help Callan was so wonderful.
We get a teaser for Hendrix’s book at the end of Awakened Desires and I can’t wait to read his book. I just know that it’s going to be very, very entertaining! 😊
♥♥♥♥♥
O Factor: Spicy
Available to borrow with Kindle Unlimited.
“Rory.”
He freezes.
“Would you sit?”
He nods slowly and then sits. I can see the tension in his shoulders and jaws.
“I think we need to talk, don’t you?”
Rory stares past me, his expression unreadable.
“Clear the air,” I say. “Get everything we couldn’t say as kids off our chests.”
He finally makes eye contact with me. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? What for?”
“Betraying your trust. Telling your secret to the Garda. I just“—he clenches his teeth, squeezes his eyes shut, and shakes his head—“I couldn’t let him keep hurting you.”
“I know. I’m not angry about that, Rory. I’ve never been angry about what you did.”
“You left without a word. You never called or wrote. I thought—”
“Mam and Dad convinced me I needed to put everything behind me. They thought it was the only way I’d heal.” I let out a bitter laugh. “If only. But that’s in the past now. It’s all in the past. Things are better. I’m okay.” I reach across the table and squeeze his hand. “You shouldn’t feel guilty for what you did.” I manage to smile. “I hope you left some deep gouges in that bastard’s car when you keyed it.”
“Three.” Rory’s smile is watery. “They were deep and long.”
“Good.” I take my hand away from his. “This is weird.”
He nods. “Are you really okay, Cal?”
God. It’s been so long since anyone has called me that. It was always Rory’s nickname for me. It was what he called me before he could say my name properly, and then it stuck. I’ve never asked or wanted anyone else to call me Cal. A knot of emotion makes it hard to breathe. I clear my throat to dislodge it so I can answer his question.
“I am now. It took a long time.”
My Kinky Housemate Series
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Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.
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