Rut Bar

           

Title: Rut Bar

Series: Heatverse #2

Author: Alexis B. Osborne

Publisher: Dark Moon Publishing, February 1, 2024

Pages: 608

Genre: Omegaverse

Welcome to Rut, where your pleasure is our business.

Gorgeous, chiseled alpha dancers. Specialty drinks on demand prepared by flirty bartenders. Omega-only member hours.

Veronica has cracked the code for omega-focused entertainment. A bar where omegas like her can let loose without worrying about creepy, predatory alphas.

But Rut is more than just sizzle and sleaze: there’s something else going on beneath all the body oil and glitter. Something IRS agent Brenden Hall is getting dangerously close to uncovering during the bar's audit.

Unfortunately for her, the unassuming agent is starting to smell like temptation, just like two of her also-off-limits employees. There's Anthony, her bratty tattooed bartender with a smile full of sinful promise, and Jamie, the lovesick himbo alpha dancer who tempts her one dance at a time.

Vee can’t allow herself to give in to an indulgence that could cost her the bar. There's also the matter of that stubborn dominant streak that makes her a less-than-ideal example of her designation. What pack would want an omega with Domme tendencies, anyway?

While Vee worries about getting Rut through the tax audit, the boys worry if they'll be able to survive her stubbornness. Can these four wildcards come together and admit their deepest desires, or will they all keep dancing around it forever?

I have to start this by saying the first 75% of this book was so good. I LOVE the idea of Rut Bar. Especially in this context specifically. Even just the entertainment aspect before you ever introduce the nonprofit idea. And the nonprofit idea is SO GOOD. I won't even spoil it because I can't endanger them like that!

I find it mildly hilarious that this is the second book that I've read this year (it's only February) that centers an IRS audit as one of the plot points. I'm hoping it doesn't sneak its way too firmly into my algorithm. Sexy IRS audits are not really something I feel like I need more of at this point. But  it worked well here. 

This book did have everything going for it. I love the relationship/kink dynamics that we explored. This is maybe one of the first times that a Daddy Dom didn't totally squick me out. But ONLY the daddy aspect specifically. I thought it was pretty funny actually, considering Brendan was Right There and is actually Daddy. 

There was some stuff about Anthony did squick me out though. Specifically the non-con cum smoothies. It was almost enough to DNF. I think I would have if I weren't reading this for the podcast. The author has an excellent content guide. And after reading Heat Clinic, I thought I knew what the author was referring to as non-con cum eating. I did not. I was not ready.

But. Jamie is the shining star in this book. He is the sweetest dumb baby angel ever! I love that Veronica has turned everything she went through into this awesome entrepreneurial venture! I love that she and Jamie subvert the expectations of what it means to be alpha and omega. That part was so well done. I still have so much more to say, holy moly. 

Ratings

Stars: 3/5

Spice: 4/5