Unbound

Unbound
by Cara McKenna
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

My Review:
I started this book intending to read some of it for a half hour each day and then switch off to a different book during my other reading time. That only lasted for one day before I was too caught up in this story to let it go. Then after a while I had a different problem: I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next, but I'd read a paragraph and then guiltily close the book and stop myself because I wanted to savor the rest of the story.

This was a poignant, narrowly focused, sex-filled story of two messed up people. The story is almost completely set at Rob's cabin, in the middle of nowhere. There aren't really any other characters in the book, except vague mentions for the sake of Rob and Merry's healing process. Merry is further along in the healing process than Rob. She's started taking ownership of her problems and her trek across Scotland is supposed to be the pinnacle of her journey. Her physical body has changed but she still has lots of work to do internally. Rob's physically taken himself away from the bulk of his problems but he really hasn't dealt with any of them.

This book didn't give any easy answers. The characters were working on themselves, but they will always carry the scars of their journeys. It made me think a lot about what we see has whole and healthy. It left some things rather open ended – what friendships turn into when people change, what end Rob and Merry found for themselves. I wouldn't call it a sad book exactly, the characters didn't dwell on their problems in such a way that it brought the mood down but it definitely left me thinking.

I'm still not too sure what I think about the bearded, scruffy hero. But if that's your thing, definitely read this book. I couldn't really line up Rob with his description, so I didn't worry about it and just left him pictured some other way in my own head.

The sex: well, these two were definitely kinky. Cara McKenna really knows how to write these scenes. She strikes a perfect balance between kinky and caring. I loved that they were able to be together without judgement and even when they were living out some fantasy, it was always based around their relationship without objectifying the other. I loved how Merry was able to step up and let go of her insecurities enough to own her sexuality. She was able to catch on empathetically to Rob's kinks and put herself fully into the role of dominant character. Even though she had only had passive sexual experiences before, she didn't let that stop her from being fully engaged and able to enjoy the power and explore with enthusiasm.

I really wanted to know where these two ended up in the other parts of their lives besides just “together”. They were both on a path that worked for them to be together, but they still felt like they were living in a vacuum. No real career path, no definite plan beyond “we'll see if we work out”. The story leaves it all rather open ended for your own thoughts to keep churning about what it means to heal and what long-term relationships can and should look like when you (like anyone) still have emotional issues to work through.

All that said, I think I'm becoming addicted to Cara McKenna's style. I've only read a couple of her books so far, but I've enjoyed each of them so much that I have to start searching the backlist. If you're like me and read the cover copy on these books and say “wow, that might be a little too messed up for me”, if anyone can take all that and make it a compelling, hopeful and satisfying read, it's Cara McKenna.