In Service by J.C. Natal

[reviews_and_ramblings]

In Service is not a “pretty” or “cute” M/M romance, on the contrary it’s dark and dirty (Dark Roast Press is specialized in this type of stories); I’m sure it’s not the cup of tea for the average reader, but in more than 300 pages it is for sure an alternative reality plot that will find its fans among those readers who like almost epic novels. The alternative society described in the book is something that, in various degrees, I have already found in other novels: in a not so far future, the difference between high and low society increased so much that it almost went back to feudalism, when life servants were common practice. A man or a woman can choose to go into life service to pay their debts or to take care of their family, but if you are born from a servant you are a servant yourself, even if you didn’t choose that life. Plus, there is no age restriction, and so even underage children can go into service. In this modern and progressive society (yes, I’m sarcastic) it’s common practice when you reach your 25th birthday to receive a servant who will take care or your sexual needs.

Elias is nobility and he is also a spoiled brat; when he sees Jared, the 20 years old servant of another man, he doesn’t care what damage he will care, he pretends his gift to be that servant and no one else. Problem is that Jared was sold into service to pay for the damage he caused to a noble man and now the same noble man is going after Jared’s younger brother, since he couldn’t have his toy.

As I said, even if there is a blossoming romance between Elias and Jared, it is also peppered with obstacles and events that will involve violence, deaths and non consensual sex. The non con sex doesn’t happen between Elias and Jared, and when it happens, it’s not described, only related, but still I need to warn the most sensitive readers. Of course the first sex scenes between Elias and Jared are not out of love, but a service Jared is paying to Elias. It also serves to the author to highlight how much, sex scene by sex scene, the relationship is changing between Jared and Elias, and when we arrive to hear love words between them, they seem truer due to that.

Jared is not an easy character to like if you want for your heroes to be strong willed and independent, even if he will get better, at the beginning I had the feelings he was permanently mentally damaged; it’s like his mind stopped to evolve when he was 12 years old and sold into service. Love will help him, but indeed he lost 8 years and he needs time to recover those.

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