MANTIES IN A TWIST

Still mourning the loss of a friend due to an accident during sadomasochistic sex, Kamen moves in with his boyfriend, Ryan, and has to navigate a spectrum of mixed feelings as he and his close-knit set of friends move into their own lives, loves, and levels of kink.

Kamen is in love, and for some reason he can’t comprehend, his very close friends aren’t happy about it. In his mind, Ryan is perfect for him. They share a goofy sense of humor, an explosive chemistry, and a “we’ll try anything once, but stop if either of us doesn’t like it” sensibility that is a "totes" turn-on for Kamen, whose happy-go-lucky personality is sometimes mistaken for a dim wit or a lack of maturity—possibly also somewhat due to his use of words like “totes,” “amazerbeam,” and “amazigasmitastic.” But at heart, Kamen is a kind, open-hearted young man who doesn’t brood, can be depended on to keep a secret, and is deeply loyal to people he cares about. Which is why he feels disheartened and a little betrayed when his friends subtly reject Ryan. For Kamen, Ryan’s adventurous nature brings out a curiosity he never knew he had, which leads them into all kinds of audacious experiences Kamen discovers he really likes—and a few he doesn’t. These include experimenting with female clothes and lingerie, water sports, and, thanks to some scornful taunting from a mean-spirited fellow client at a local  dungeon, an unexpected romp into competitive pony play. Kamen’s first-person perspective is funny and very present, while Rock does a terrific job of creating authentic, realistic characters who are exploring many layers of romance and kink while delving into emotionally deep territory: the preventable death of a friend, the reactions of friends when one begins to explore new aspects of self, and the inevitable tension of grief, guilt, and moving on. Still, not for the faint of heart, since it includes graphic sex scenes and realistic portrayals of a variety of kinky lifestyles.

Kinky, touching, emotional, and sexually intense.