L&M 2: Taking Work Home by Jules Jones

Jules Jones - Lord and Master Series

1. Lord and Master
1.5 Lord and Master: Old Age Creeping Over Me (read it FREE on Jules' website!)
2. Lord & Master 2: Taking Work Home
2.5 Lord and Master: Flight of Dreams (read it FREE on Jules' website!)

Category: Peanut M&Ms - mmmm...devour... sigh... then reach for the next one. My daily dose of Insanity-B-Gone. (A-,B+,B)
Flame Height: 7.5" out of 9"

See INDEX for more about this author.

After nearly a year together, Steven and Mark plan on getting married (their engagement happens prior to this book), yet they still live in separate homes and aren’t sure they can live together. And though monogamous, they still use condoms even for oral sex. Since I hadn't read the previous book, and even though the author includes a back story preface, it just didn’t bode well for a lasting relationship between these two men and I couldn’t see how they could have already made the commitment to marry.

Then I caught on to Jules Jones’ gem of a storyline. Steven, who is Mark’s boss and older by a couple of decades, has bipolar disorder. I think we’ve all read stories or watched TV shows (probably on Lifetime) where one partner in an established relationship develops a mental or physical illness.

But Jules explores what it’s like to know going into a relationship that there are problems. We see that, even knowing there will be challenges, Mark and Steven develop their relationship anyhow, with not only the quirks and follies inherent in any new relationship, but also dealing with what, in a way, becomes the third member of their relationship—Steven’s mental disorder.

Steven knows that his disorder means a lot of work for a partner, so much so that none of his previous partners could handle it/him for the long haul. But with Mark, Steven tries to be realistic and honest and to not put a brave face on what he can and can’t handle.

So they’ve been taking baby steps in their relationship to avoid pushing Steven’s emotional envelope. I do wonder why Steven isn’t on any medications to control his mood swings, but I really don’t know all that much about the disorder. Since Steven appears to have a relatively mild form, maybe the meds have too much of a “zombie" effect on him.

Mark has learned just how much work, and what an unequal partnership, loving someone with bipolar disorder can be. He must be careful, often walking on eggshells, not to pressure or push Steven in case he triggers another emotional swing. And when something DOES send Steven into a depressive state, or obsessive anger, or manic elation, Mark finds himself doing whatever is necessary to help Steven gain some control over himself. To be honest, Mark was, at times, TOO understanding. I wanted him to get angry, even if he kept it to himself.

Steven’s illness complicates the already frustrating misconceptions about their relationship. Mark is perceived, at best, as Steven’s mid-life crisis toyboy. At worst, he’s seen as a gold-digger who thinks Steven and his successful company are enticing prizes. Much of L&M2 involves the dynamics of Steven’s family and the introduction of Mark into it as Mr. Right instead of Mr. Right Now.

BTW, although the title suggests otherwise, Lord and Master is NOT a D/s series. It's probably explained in the first book, but my guess is that it came about because Steven often jokingly refers to Mark as his "minion". And possibly it is a veiled reference to the control that Steven must master in order to keep his disorder from mastering him.

While I still question whether Steven and Mark could have made the commitment to marry so soon, I have to give Jules Jones kudos for this story. There are no car chases, no villains, no shoot-em-ups. However, as she ALWAYS manages to do, Jules has breathed life into her unique and memorable characters in this slice-of-life, heartwarming story.

Piquant Opines: Fallen Angel Reviews, Sensual (Ecataromance), Uniquely Pleasurable, Romance Junkies, Mrs. G, Elisa_Rolle



Have you read any of these books? Feel free to review or link to a review in the comments. Even if you don't agree!