The Fear of Surrender
This was another fast paced story that has a lot of sweetness alongside a good dose of kink. This book is best read after [b:The Rules of Love|24013180|The Rules of Love (The Hampton Road Club #2)|Morticia Knight|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1419264808s/24013180.jpg|43612724] as the events affecting Linus occur there and the timelines do overlap.Linus has been scared away from Hampton Road by the abuse of Master Preston and even his previous enjoyment of his scenes with Master Thomas aren't enough to bring him back. Master Thomas feels guilty over what happened to Linus and will do what he can to help the boy recover, if only Linus will allow it. Thomas sets out to court Linus with friendship and some good old fashioned romance. As much as he wants Linus' submission and love, he was burned once before by the sub he loved.
I'm really enjoying this series. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but there is something about the combination of mostly naive, young men wanting to be subs, not really sure what they are getting into but willing to try and the experienced men who want to be their masters, ever mindful of the risks under the oppressive anti-homosexuality laws in the 1920s. Things I wouldn't even look twice at today could ruin someone at that time, adding an underlying tension to everything from a comforting touch in public to trying to make a private commitment to the one you love. I'm looking forward to continuing on with these stories.
