Sleepwalker

Rachel Ember

Oct 2021 · Chestnut Press, LLC

About this ebook

Oliver delights in control—at work as a top-tier lawyer, at home as a happy bachelor, and in the bedroom as a demanding Dom. That control slips when he meets Cujo, a stray Chihuahua who is just as vicious as she is tiny. Luckily, Blake, the young artist and dog-walker who comes to Oliver’s aid, is a miracle worker. When Oliver works late or has to travel, Blake is a text away. When Cujo needs a sweater or allergy medicine and growls in that way that promises bloodshed, Blake is there to save the day.

It hasn’t escaped Oliver’s attention that in addition to being useful, Blake is also smart, funny, and sexy. But Oliver can control himself, no matter how wild his imagination runs when he considers what he’d like to do with Blake. Besides, what are the odds that Blake’s tastes would intersect with Oliver’s very specific kinks?

Blake’s life is kind of a mess. He has nothing to show for his art degree except a portfolio reminding him that now, every time he gets in front of a canvas, he’s struck with a splitting headache before he can create anything worthwhile. His dog-walking business isn’t much of a business, really—it doesn’t pay the bills—but it’s the only thing he’s done lately that he feels good about. Things don’t seem like they could get any more bleak, and then he’s busted for marijuana possession.

And when he’s escorted to the courtroom in cuffs, the last person he expects to see on the bench in judge’s robes is Oliver... the dog-walking client he’s had a crush on since the day they met.

Ratings and reviews

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, more than Erin did. ;) So, I was very much looking forward to book 2. I needed to know how someone like Oliver ended up with a chihuahua named Cujo. And how two such opposite people would end up together. Surprise, surprise! It worked!We meet Blake in book 1, and he is just a dog walker to Oliver, as far as we understand. However, when this book picks up, it's a year later, and Blake has actually spent a lot of his time training Cujo with Oliver, and maybe a crush was starting to happen a little. However, the point of change is big for Blake, when he sees a previous hookup of Oliver's who does nothing to hide their BDSM relationship. Blake immediately knows it's something he wants...and needs.Blake's health is a large part of the book, as well it should be. Seeing how it affected his every day life, and he kept moving, no matter what, was heart wrenching. Even as he hid it from everyone, he could have simply allowed his wealthy mother to care for or assist him, but he was determined to do all he could to just take that next step forward.Landing in Oliver's courtroom turned into the best thing that could have happened to Blake. It gave him the chance to open up, even in small pieces to someone he had already felt some trust with.Their relationship developed naturally, and with small things here and there, which was perfect for both of them. They didn't need to spend every minute with each other, they just needed to make those minutes count. Although seeing Oliver bumbling with Emile, as he started to fall for Blake was fun. The always put together, perfect in so many ways lawyer/judge feeling off kilter was fun to see.There are a couple pieces that I'd have liked to have expanded, but all in all, I really enjoyed this one. And the showing at the end...felt so hard fought, and worth it. Well done.4 pieces of eye candy

Oliver is a man who lives by himself, does not have relationships and thinks he might be unhappy but he's just not sure. One thing he does know is that he suddenly owns a dog and he needs help. Blake is sleepwalking through his life. He knows it but he can't seem to do anything different. It just so happens that Blake walks dogs and is willing to take on the task of training Oliver's dog. The two men get to spend lots of time together while they focus on Cujo's (that's the dog) well-being. A lot of the getting to know you part of their relationship is done off the page with the focus being on the very beginning with Cujo and one year later as they start to realize they have feelings for each other. Can you guess what happens? Yes! They fall in love and even Oliver can't believe it happened! Oliver is a fairly straightforward character. He's in his mid to late thirties and he's very career-focused. He gets a good bit of personal growth in the story. By the end, he has come to terms with his career and personal lives. It's a good arc. Blake enters the story as a clean slate, almost. A lot of the story is about showing his layers. He might be a dog walker but he's so much more. At first, it seems impossible that the men would fit together but by the end, it makes sense that they do. I enjoyed their interactions with their friends and co-workers. I thought that the story was well thought out and made a lot of sense. I even appreciated that the men are 12 years apart in age. It's the little things that count! I did have a few issues with the story. I am struggling to not give away key story points if I list them. What I can say is that you don't always like everyone in life and sometimes you can't understand why some people do the things they do. Dang, it. This is tough. I recommend this book to anyone that likes contemporary MM romance. This is set in a small town. There is light BDSM. There is a dog who needs lots of careful love and attention. I will read more from this author in the future.