Review: Healing Hark, Doms of Chicago #8 by Dakota Trace

Can their love survive healing him?
Despite being in a long-term relationship with his Master and lover, Diachi Rai, CEO Bryan Sterling is feeling restless, and it all has to do with his Master’s former submissive. Ever since Harkalone “Hark” Akula entered their home, Bryan’s life has been turned upside down. He’s acting out, standing up to his master – even courting punishment. All because of his need to help Hark.

Diachi is a man of many secrets, and Hark happens to be one of his darkest. As his first submissive, Hark was partially responsible for molding him into the powerful but discerning Dom he’s become. But when he was unable to give Hark what he needed, Diachi let Hark go, rather than share him. Now Hark is back, scarred and darker than Diachi could ever remember him being, and in dire need of a healing touch.

Hark is at the end of his tether. After losing his family: his Dom, their submissive and child along with his home, all he wants is to be left alone, not dropped in his former master’s lap like a child. But now that he’s there, he’s not only tempted by Diachi and Bryan, he’s also being drawn into their world. The question now, is will he be able to stay?

Series: Doms of Chicago #8
Release Date: April 18th 2014
Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Source: Manic Readers
Reviewer: Victoria
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

Harkalone Akula also known as “Hark” is a man that lives in the shadows. He is an artist, investigator, and a man who can do what needs doing. Hark lost his family and then lost his home in a fire. He has stayed away from the D/s life and seemed to withdraw from everyone around him. Hark is a complex man. He is a switch and needs both his dominance needs and his submissive needs met by one or more people. Hark is more emotionally battered than ever and needs help and those around him think Diachi is perfect to help him.

Diachi Rai is Hark’s first and former master. Diachi and Hark split ways because Diachi does not share. Who Diachi is today is partially Hark’s doing. We do not get a good look at Diachi beyond his concern for Bryan and how Hark will upset that. Bryan is Diachi’s current submissive and a CEO. Bryan pushes for Hark to stay for an evening earning a punishment from Diachi. Bryan is a submissive who at first is not sure about how he feels about Hark’s presence but grows to love and care for him.

The chemistry between Diachi, Hark and Bryan is blistering. The sex scenes were scorching. The only issue that still bugged me after I finished reading was that Diachi and Hark really never hashed things out. Hark, even in the end, was still upset by how he and Diachi ended things the first time. Ms. Trace left the distinct impression that if Bryan did not push the issue of having Hark stay, Diachi would have let Hark walk out of his life without much of a problem. It makes me wonder of the long-term implications that leaves and if Hark will be hurt again in the future because it seemed to me, that Hark was still second to Bryan.

Healing Hark is the eighth book in the Doms of Chicago series by Dakota Trace. While this book is part of a series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. Some of the characters from prior books do make an appearance. This book was well written. I loved that this book kept me on my toes, just when I thought I had it figured out Ms. Trace took the story in a new direction. The main and secondary characters were appealing and stimulating. Overall, this was a great book in a wonderful series. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.