Here’s the review I gave on Goodreads and various other places:
4/5 stars
A short erotic slice of life novel, ‘Handcuffs & Lace’ left me reminiscing and nostalgic with a hint of pain when I set it down.
I admit I put off reading this book for the longest time. Two friends of mind had already read it and had sort of warned me away from it. Having read some of the author’s other works, I was curious to see what he brought to the table for a longer piece. So when it was given to me to read and review, I decided to give it a chance, and I understand now where my friend’s issues with the book lay.
First off, most will have purchased this as an erotic novel. It’s labeled as 18+, and the cover carries all the notes of an erotic piece. There are three (by my count) erotic scenes in the book and each are extremely well done. Not too long, the right amount of detail and the pacing is dead on for all of them. At no point was I left speed reading through the sex scenes just to get through them, and instead I found myself slowing down so I could enjoy the read. If you are looking for something steamy to read, this book has it, and Rechan delivers.
However, take the erotic scenes out of the story, and suddenly you are faced with something interesting.
If you are reading ‘Handcuffs & Lace’ expecting an in depth story with a plot that will keep you turning the pages, you won’t find it here. In fact, not a lot happens in ‘Handcuffs & Lace’. There is no real climax to the story, there is no tension or conflict, and as far as the story goes not a lot goes on. Instead, you are given a very realistic story about two people starting out their relationship. In fact, it’s almost painfully realistic, and there in lays the strength of the story.
The real charm of this book is the fact that it’s a slice of life book. Once you realize this, the story becomes that much more endearing and special. Instead of hunting for the plot, you can sit back and simply enjoy watching the lives of two people as they share something special and work through the first steps of a relationship. Rechan does a spectacular job providing the little bumps that every budding relationship has. There are a few off moments, like Vi’s injury pretty much seeming to vanish after the middle of the story. But all in all, the story behind ‘Handcuffs & Lace’ is a tender exploration of two people.
Lastly, the furry aspect of this book is handled really, really well by Rechan. He takes a lot into account for how the world would work for anthropomorphic animals. The world building is handled well, and it helped to enhance the suspension of disbelief.
So if you are going to pick this book up for the erotic scenes, you won’t be disappointed. There are some interesting and unique stuff in this book that will keep you reading. If you are picking this up expecting a plotline with the standard rising action and such, you won’t find it and will be left disappointed. However, if you approach this book as a slice of life piece, you will be pleasantly surprised and, like myself, most likely captivated by the awkwardness of these two characters.
Based off this book, I would like to see Rechan tackle longer works that are slice of life pieces. I think he has a real talent for it, and if marketed right, he could have something really special on his hands. He has a good understanding of how people think, and I would like to see what he could come up with.
So in the end, if you want a short, feel good, erotic slice of life book; something that will make you remember every starting relationship you have ever been in, this book is for you. I enjoyed it once I realized that was what I was reading, and I will probably read this again.