Capture & Surrender

Spoiler Disclaimer

Synopsis

Ever since his partner died two years ago, Frank has resigned himself to being alone and spends his days hanging out with friends and running his upscale brothel, Market Garden. After one of his most popular rent boys quits, he's happy that a new guy shows up eager to take his place. A former US soldier, drop-dead-gorgeous Stefan is sure to be a hit with the Market Garden clientele. In fact, he's everything Frank wants in a man, too, but he has a rule never to sleep with his employees. Then Frank invites Stefan to a kinky paintball game that he and his buddies host, in which players are allowed to capture the opposing team's players and have their wicked way with them. Frank only referees, but Stefan makes it clear that he wants Frank and has no intention of playing by the rules either on or off the field. But when things start getting serious between them, Frank has to reveal something very personal and he feels that it might be better to let Stefan go now rather than possibly put him through the same kind of loss Frank, himself, recently suffered.

Review

*************This review contains information that some readers may consider to be spoilerish.*************Capture & Surrender is the fifth book in L. A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov's Market Garden series, which follows the rent boys at the London club/brothel of the same name. This one features Frank, the owner of Market Garden, who lost his partner two years earlier. Nick (If It Fornicates), one of his best and most in demand rent boys just quit the business to be in a monogamous relationship with his boyfriend, Spencer, leaving Frank shorthanded. But thanks to his right-hand man, Raoul, a new guy comes in to interview for the job. Stefan is a drop-dead gorgeous, ex-US soldier with a more dominant persona who has all the qualities that Frank usually falls for in a man. Even though Stefan makes his interest in Frank clear by shamelessly flirting with his new boss, Frank adamantly refuses to sleep with his employees. Not only does he feel it would be a conflict of interest, but his HIV positive status complicates relationships. However, Frank can't resist inviting Stefan to one of the kinky, sexy paintball games that he and his friends host, in which the rules allow players to capture members of the opposing team and have their wicked way with them. Stefan eagerly accepts the invite, because he'd love to capture Frank, but Frank only referees. Thanks to his friends' meddling, though, Stefan makes a bet that he can capture a ref, leading to a steamy encounter between him and Frank. After that, Frank can't resist Stefan anymore. The pair become more and more deeply involved until Frank knows he's falling for Stefan, but after both men losing former partners to the scourge of AIDS, Frank doesn't want to hurt Stefan that way if his condition worsens and thinks it might be better to break ties sooner rather than later.

Frank has shown up a few times in the previous books but we didn't get to know a whole lot about Market Garden's owner until now. He did a short stint in prison before meeting his partner and falling in love, but his partner died two years ago from AIDS and Frank is HIV positive, too. The drugs are working for him, so he's reasonably healthy right now, but he knows that could change at any time. Because of prejudices against people like him, he mostly keeps his diagnosis to himself and a few close friends, only disclosing to others when he feels it's necessary. He also hasn't been in a relationship since his partner's death. Because of the estate his partner left him, Frank is pretty wealthy and he used the money to start Market Garden. For the more submissive Frank, military types and dominant men make him weak in the knees, so when Stefan shows up for the interview, Frank is instantly attracted to him. However, he's always had a rule not to sleep with his employees, so he tries to lock his lust away. Stefan is a shameless flirt, though, making it hard for Frank to resist, and by their second paintball game, when Stefan captures him, he no longer has the will to fight it. The more time they spend together, the more Frank starts to fall for Stefan, but not only does he not want to put Stefan through the pain of losing someone again, he's also fifteen years Stefan's senior and feels that the other man might be better off with someone closer to his own age. Frank is a little rough around the edges, but he has a gooey center that warms up under Stefan's attentions. I liked the juxtaposition of him being a tough guy with submissive tendencies, who enjoys being dominated by Stefan. I also felt like I understood how hard it was for him to have lost his partner and how that would make him want to spare Stefan that kind of pain.

American Stefan (although this isn't his real name, just his hooker nom de guerre) served in the military in the Middle East, and after his tour of duty ended, he met his partner who also died of AIDS. Due to extenuating circumstances, it was even more difficult for him in some ways than it was for Frank, so afterward, he decided to move to London for a change of scenery. He'd been working in another club where Raoul found him. Since Stefan loves sex and the money is good, he decides that working for Market Garden might just be a good change of pace. Mature for his age, Stefan loves older men, so he's instantly attracted to Frank and lets his interest be known by being flirty and seductive. Frank tells him that he doesn't sleep with the rent boys, but when Frank invites him to his kinky paintball games, Stefan thinks maybe Frank is interested after all. It's not until a risque bet is made on capturing a ref that he gets a chance to live out his fantasy of having Frank. After that things turn hot and heavy and soon Stefan is falling for Frank. He thinks Frank feels the same, but when the other man tries to break things off with him, he fears it might be the end of their relationship. Stefan is seriously hot and sexy. I love the way he seduces and commands Frank. He can be dominant, but he can also be tender and gentle. I love how he just accepts all of Frank in spite of everything and isn't afraid of what the future might bring.

Although still on the shorter side, Capture & Surrender is the first full-length novel in the series and I enjoyed having a little more time and space to explore Frank and Stefan's relationship. Just like all the couples in the series so far, they were perfect for each other. It was hard for Frank to share his HIV positive status with Stefan, but it really paid off. The shared experience of the two of them having lost their respective partners to this dread disease created a connection that others weren't as understanding of and brought a lot of emotion to the story. But it wasn't just that. They each have their own kinks and preferences that align superbly, making the love scenes super-hot and sexy. I also love how the scenes range from sweet and gentle to some scorching domination. Frank playing voyeur after Stefan captures other guys on the paintball field was hot, too. I also appreciated the exploration of how everyone deserves love, no matter what. Overall, Capture & Surrender was another winner for me in this series that I really enjoyed. I hope we'll see a little more of Frank and Stefan in the remaining books.

Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, including mild BDSM elements, voyeurism, orgy-like paintball games, and sex work, all of which could be objectionable to sensitive readers.

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L. A. Witt

Aleksandr Voinov

Themes

Medical Drama
Men in Uniform - Military