For Real
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For Real Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Alexis Hall (Author), Paul Berton (Narrator), John Hartley (Narrator),
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,484 ratings
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Laurence Dalziel is worn down and washed up, and for him, the BDSM scene is all played out. Six years on from his last relationship, he's pushing 40 and tired of going through the motions of submission. Then he meets Toby Finch. Nineteen years old. Fearless, fierce, and vulnerable. Everything Laurie can't remember being.

Toby doesn't know who he wants to be or what he wants to do. But he knows, with all the certainty of youth, that he wants Laurie. He wants him on his knees. He wants to make him hurt, he wants to make him beg, he wants to make him fall in love. The problem is, while Laurie will surrender his body, he won't surrender his heart. Because Toby is too young, too intense, too easy to hurt. And what they have - no matter how right it feels - can't last. It can't mean anything. It can't be real.

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  1. Listening Length
    12 hours and 55 minutes
  2. Author
    Alexis Hall
  3. Narrator
    Paul Berton, see all
  4. Audible release date
    November 30, 2015
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Audible Studios
  7. ASIN
    B018IJCQWY
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 12 hours and 55 minutes
Author Alexis Hall
Narrator Paul Berton, John Hartley
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date November 30, 2015
Publisher Audible Studios
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B018IJCQWY
Best Sellers Rank #20,895 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#105 in Erotic Romance
#380 in Romantic Erotica (Books)
#3,875 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Books)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,484 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mom Needs Coffee
5.0 out of 5 stars Rejection sensitive older MC, eager to love younger MC
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2022
Verified Purchase
Surprisingly low angst
Hurt/comfort
BDSM (legit)
Age gap
Steamy
Rejection sensitive vs open hearted
Dual first person POV

TW- remembered cheating, death of a side character, remembered child neglect, talk of remembered manmade disaster, on page scene between one MC and another person

In A Nutshell:
Laurie is an older man who carries a lot of pain and fear from his past. How can he love again when the plan he once had for life was so unexpectedly taken from him? Obeying for others but not submitting has been his way of life for the past several years and he's accepted that's how his life will play out. Until Toby. Sweet, 19 year old Toby who is honest and sweet and completely open with his heart. Toby isn't shy at all when it comes to loving Laurie. Laurie, however, expects this to be some fling for Toby. The fun "I once explored kinky s-x with an older man" story Toby'll share with friends in the future. So while Toby goes all in, Laurie just offers enough to feel safe from future heartache.

A Bit More:
I had to read this book twice to make sure I wasn't just obsessing over a well written BDSM novel...

Wow, I can't even begin to describe the amount of feelings this story pulled from me even though this is surprisingly low angst. There's a bit of drama, yes, but the kind that made me shake my head and not my Kindle :) I'll be the first to admit that Alexis Hall knows how to write fabulous culture stories. I'll also freely admit that there's another series with well written exchanges I wanted to enjoy but the men just did not work for me. This, though. THIS. Perfection. Laurie and Toby made me smile, cry, curse, everything, all the feels.

This book somehow wormed it's way into my heart even while I was focused on how much I enjoyed and appreciated the intimate scenes---- not for the sensuality, although there was that, but for the introspection and awareness of our MCs as they combined pain with pleasure to create that intimacy. I was blown away pretty early on and remained absolutely in awe until the end. Laurie is so terrified of love and Toby is so filled with it. I wanted to hug and hold each man equally- how could two people so perfect for one another not immediately set the world on fire? What makes everything so lovely is how real their relationship is. A hurt/comfort where one man is willing to share a small part of himself and the other man is willing to counterbalance the weight until they finally meet in the middle. Getting there takes some time but it's beautiful and messy and romantic and honest.

I was pretty starry eyed the first time I read this. I was starry eyed and tearful the second time around. Understanding the small hints and drops of Laurie's past while reading made it so much more heart wrenching. How could I not forgive him for trying what he deemed his best after the real world had knocked him so harshly to the ground? We all need help getting back up at some point. If we're lucky, we all find our Toby. A tea light in the dark. A spark that's bound to light a fire. Patience, kindness, joy, love. This story is so absolutely romantic in a way that many others wish they could be. A story filled with new love and intense intimacy; scorching heat and beautiful language. I'm not sure I can recommend this enough. Everyone should read this. Everyone.
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Rocinante
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous, raw, and emotional romance
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2022
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For Real is the first book I ever read by Alexis Hall. I loved it then and I still love it now. I would go so far as saying it’s one of my all-time favorite books. Laurie and Toby are so beautiful together. Their dynamic allows their emotions to be stripped down, flayed open, exposed and raw. Toby is charming, confident, and independent but also a little lost and vulnerable, with a deep need to be loved, adored, and emotionally supported. Laurie can’t get over his past hurts, jaded and bitter, but he takes a chance on Toby. It’s just beautiful to watch Toby’s warmth and excitement bring Laurie back to life. The writing is just beautiful. It’s funny, emotional, and raw, with messy characters and their messy lives. The book is dual POV, and the characters have very distinct voices. Laurie is educated, sophisticated, brilliant, but lacking in culture and creativity. Toby is creative and cultured, effortlessly charming, but is very much still a teenager. He knows exactly what he wants out of a relationship, but is still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

The D/s aspect of the story is fantastic. I love the way Laurie and Toby’s dynamic defies expectation. They show that age, size, and experience don’t have to predetermine their roles. They don’t need all the toys and props, their relationship dynamic has boiled down to it’s essence. Domination and submission. Loyalty, respect, trust, and love.

“I gazed up at him, less shocked than I should have been at the evidence of the distances between us. Perhaps it was because, right now, there were none. We were simply each other’s, in a world of our own making.”

I highly recommend the audio version of this book. Narrators Paul Berton and John Hartley do an amazing job, perfectly capturing their characters, while also perfectly portraying each other in the dialogue.
6 people found this helpful
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A. K. R.
4.0 out of 5 stars Well done and worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2019
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Top things to love about this book:

- Realistic and relatable characters who are not just caricatures of their supposed roles.
- Good writing. This is SO rare in the world, particularly in this genre.
- Genuine emotion
- Plot and character development outside of sex scenes
- The author has a good grasp on the subject matter (BDSM) and actually (surprisingly) portrays a complex relationship where - true to life - preference for sexual activities don't dictate who is in charge.

Now, the reasons I wouldn't give it 5 stars (why it's not perfect):
- For a D/s, BDSM, Kinky story, it is surprisingly light on the kink. The scenes that are described are extremely mild and while heavier play is alluded to, I don't get the sense that it actually happens.
- With a title like "For Real" I was expecting the D/s relationship to be more solid. As I said above, the author does portray an accurate relationship in some ways, such as understanding the nuance of sexual acts not indicating one's position of power, HOWEVER - the relationship is what I would call D/s "light" or bedroom-only, so it was slightly disappointing in that regard.
- Not necessarily a con but these guys sure do cry a lot! I have done actual thing hundreds of times worse than anything described in this book and rarely get a man to cry, so...

Anyway, it's definitely worth the read if you like M/M BDSM romance. I almost can't call this erotica, really, but it's very sweet and I don't regret the money spent (unlike some books, which I very much regret the two dollars and several hours invested into them.)
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Top reviews from other countries

Dragon Jude
5.0 out of 5 stars For those who can connect
Reviewed in Canada on August 17, 2023
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This book is not on any sliding scale - you either connect and it is 5/5 or you do not and it is 1/5. This is not about writing style, flow, or development - it is down to the gritty emotions under the skin.
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Anne-Geneviève Ducharme-Audran
5.0 out of 5 stars just what my heart needed!
Reviewed in France on January 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
Sweet with a bit of angst but so much love, trust and growth. Toby and Laurie will live in my heart for ever. They should live in yours too! ♥️
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Judith
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and spicy
Reviewed in Germany on March 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
For Real by Alexis Hall is a spicy contemporary romance with an age gap. The characters who meet in a BD SM club are quite different. Toby is 19, has dropped out of university and works at a café with no real plans for the future. He seems to be only sure about wanting to take on the dominant role in the bedroom. Laurie is a 37-year-old doctor who has been left by a man he had been with for ages and seems to be quite jaded, looking only for quick hook-ups. When the two meet they try to find together but stumble a lot. Their being at different points in life seems to be an obstacle causing a lot of doubt, insecurity and hesitation on both parts despite being quite compatible in other areas (well. the bedroom.).
The characters are quite complex and well-written, their cautious dance around each other, pushing towards a relationship but each being guarded and prepared for everything falling apart again makes this story also emotional and sweet. But there IS a lot of k!nky spice in there as well.

sadly, the bonus story In Vino was not part of the eARC so I cannot comment on that.
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Anonymous
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible!
Reviewed in Spain on February 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
It made me think about BDSM in a new way, and that's all I can ever look for in a book: That it either makes me think, or distracts me from doing so. This one did both! Loved it.
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Alice
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing.For real!
Reviewed in Italy on September 29, 2018
Verified Purchase
This novel, indeed not only the novel, the writing of Alexis returns a new perspective to the BDSM world that in novels is usually a photocopy of the previous and the next. And it returns new energy to the way of feeling, of seeing and loving love per se. Between the narrative and the reality she brings a new light, almost a pleasant pain and an amazing joy. A pressing, electric, poignant beautiful story.
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