Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Dirk loves his life. He has his partner, Kit, and he has a wonderful job at the local fetish shop, working behind the scenes. Panic sets in when Dirk's boss, Sukie, asks him to model some of the wares in the next catalog. He's not sure he wants to be on the front lines, where everyone can see him.

Kit is more than happy to help Dirk get over his case of nervous jitters. In fact, Kit might just be uniquely suited to the task. He sets out to make sure Dirk can do the job, helping Dirk ease his fears. Can they prove to Dirk that it's not so bad to be in the spotlight after all?

BOOK REVIEW:
Dirk works for Fawcett’s Corsets as a clothing designer. Although his boss Sukie insists he will be the perfect model for the “trad-romantic stuff” in her next catalog, Dirk is not convinced. He cares deeply about the catalog coming out right and knows how important it is to both the shop and his boss. He doesn’t want to mess up or disappoint anyone involved with the photo shoot. When Sukie won’t take no for an answer, Dirk concedes, with quite a bit of trepidation, and Kit resolves to be there for him every step of the way.

Staytape is a refreshing story that focuses on characters that you don’t often see in stories. It would be so easy for these men to be simple stereotypes, but Draven has written them with so much depth and emotion. The main focus is on the interactions between the two lovers, and not simply on what type of clothes they like to wear. It is wonderful to be presented with two characters who are completely comfortable with who they are, and make no excuses or exceptions. They are men that like to wear makeup, corsets, and elaborate clothes but that does not detract from their masculinity in any way.

The relationship between Dirk and Kit is based on love and support. They have a wonderful playfulness to their relationship. They know so much about each other, just what buttons to push and what the other is thinking without a word being said. The sex between them is erotic and sensual and there is always an overriding sense of gentle intimacy between them. Kit struggles to make Dirk understand what he sees in the man, what he knows will come across in the catalog pictures, as shown by this quote.

“You see this? … This is you, looking fantastically fuckable, yes? Wearing clothes you designed, that you made, and that make you look so hot I couldn’t stop myself jumping you.”

During the actual shoot, we get to see yet another aspect of the relationship between these two men. When Dirk can barely breathe out of anxiety over the upcoming set, Kit is there for him in every possible way. He helps Dirk to release some of his tension with soothing and naughty touches while Dirk dresses. They have a beautiful relationship, and it is moving to watch them interact together whether through sexual intimacy or chaste touch.

I particularly loved the attention to detail given to the garments worn by the models, and especially the corsets that Dirk wears. Draven masterfully describes the fabric and detail as well as the allure for Dirk. A corset invariably controls breathing, changes posture and overall line of the body, and increases sensation for the wearer. Dirk experiences all of these things, and is soothed by both the ritual of lacing the corset and the sense of being constrained and “armored,” which comes in handy during the photo shoot. My favorite description was of a corset that Dirk rescues from a corner of their living room.

“Black on black brocade with gun-metal binding, and an etched steel busk. It had an asymmetrical front part-lacing as a detail, cut so it curved open to the left, leaving his heart exposed.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, from beginning to end. With vivid descriptions and tantalizing intimacy, Draven has crafted a wonderfully enjoyable story. I wish that I could get my hands on the Fawcett’s Corsets catalog to enjoy all the beautiful photos but thankfully Draven craftily provides the details you need for your imagination to run wild, and the resulting images will no doubt be amazing. I ended the story with a smile on my face, wanting to spend even more time with these amazing characters. I highly recommend this fabulous story!

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