The Cattery (M/M contemporary romance)
--- Role-playing a cat for six months? You said you’re paying how much? ---
Goran’s mouth has no filter, and it’s losing him job after job. Desperate and a week away from being homeless, he finds an offer online that sounds too good to be true. Spending six months in a mansion by the beach in return for a hundred thousand dollars as long as he sticks to the house rules.
This might be the one job where his unruly mouth doesn’t get in the way. After all, saying the wrong thing is impossible… when you’re role-playing a cat.
Meeting all the other guys at the cattery seems to be the icing on the cake, but the inconvenient truth he dishes out turns out to be too much. Goran makes everyone his enemy, but worst of all, Ollie, the prettiest cat of the bunch, the one who’s been in the cattery the longest, and the one who makes Goran’s heart skip a beat.
Ollie’s big blue eyes hold secrets Goran is intent on cracking, but to do so, he will need to learn to bite his tongue and listen. Too bad the pretty blond ice prince is set on getting Goran kicked out of the cattery for good.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
Themes: debt, enemies to lovers, cat-play, Miami, immigrant, billionaire, love triangle, social anxiety, rent boy, backstabbing
Genre: M/M contemporary romance, sugar kink
Length: ~61,000 words (standalone novel)
WARNING: Adult content that might be considered taboo. High heat, strong language, multiple partner scenes. Reader discretion advised.
Reviews (44)
No. Didn't do it for me.
I usually prefer a "lighter" story, but these authors really do "darker" better (even if their dark generally includes a generous helping of humor). I love K.A. Merikan and have read and adored most of their stuff. But this one didn't get me engaged at all really. The strong chemistry between their MC's I'm used to in their other stories wasn't there at all. Only "Matt Powers lives!" is worse than this. No need to continue this story when they have so many other good ones going on!
Meow
Waiting for the tails to appear was tortuous. The circumstances were believable, which felt oddly feline...like when you discover the cat looking down on you from the back of the sofa and you wonder how it got there.
Dont't think too hard and take the leap!
Before you say that cat play is not your thing, let me tell you that I 've skipped books of some series because there was animal play in them. But I trust K.A.Merikan to take me to new places and stretch my limits. I'm glad I didn't think too hard about it and took the leap, because The Cattery is all about FUN! No mafia, bikers, or blood here. Only kitties! The Cattery is basically a mansion where Luis, the owner, keeps his "cats". He's awkward around people, and he prefers spending time with his kitties, rather than people. He also likes to have sex with them. Goran came to the US from Croatia. He tries to make money to send back home and help the family business. When he replies to Luis' add, he has no idea what it's about. But the owner is a sweet guy and he offers Goran a great deal that could get the business going again. Plus, as a cat, he won't have to talk, and running his mouth is what, usually, gets him in trouble. And let me tell you, Goran can really pull of acting like a sexy kitten. There, he meets Ollie, the prettiest cat of the bunch, and the one who has been the longest in the Cattery. And he falls hard. Ollie was a complex character. At first, he comes off as snob and two-faced but as the story progressed I understood him and his obssession with Luis better. Why didn't he want to leave the Cattery? Was it really his love for Luis that kept him there? Deep down Ollie is just scared and alone. But falling in love with Ollie makes things tricky and can get Goran kicked out of the Cattery. And then what? Where will he find the money he needs? And will he be able to see Ollie again? You 'll have to wait and see. The romance between Goran and Ollie is super sweet and the sex super dirty! But just for once, I really wanted to see Ollie defending his love for Goran instead of throwing him off the bus every time something bad happened. I understood him, but man...he made me so mad. But in the end, Ollie takes the plunge, and that is enough of a redemption for me. The epilogue is a glorious HEA. The kink drives the plot here, it's not just fake paws and kitty ears. There are cat fights, cat bangs, and a ot lof purring and meowing. I didn't expect it, but I loved the world the authors created and the characters in it (except a certain spiteful ginger cat). It made me equal parts of creeped out, fascinated, amused, and turned on. And I loved the banter between the guys when Luis wasn't around, and they got to be like their regular self. I'm very excited for the next books in the series. I'm looking forward to read everyone's story and, hopefuly, Luis' too. Now about Cin....I don't know about that.
What happens when you're in the Cattery...? Well, read to find out!
I will begin my review with this: I love, love, loved the initial scene where Smokey begins his journey to explore a side of himself he never knew existed, teased into being by a man. A man with an inability to relax around men he is attracted to… but no such compunction when they’re his favorite animal, kitty cats. Luis’ character, for all he’s the instigator of this series’ theme, was more the impetus to bring the cats together rather than a vital player in the storyline. I hope that he will be fleshed out more in later books because I think he has a real evolution to be shared. The one character we get a very good insight into is Goran. A temporary immigrant to the United States, I think his European attitude was very refreshing. Americans are so prudish about sex but Goran is willing to try something new and isn’t exactly bashful that sex is a big component of his new “job”. That was highlighted, along with his not-so-great people skills, after his introduction to the other players in the cattery. He’s instantly drawn to one cat for his looks—certainly not for his personality—when he sees Ollie for the first time. It takes a long time to learn what drives Ollie, and we get to seesaw along with him and Goran as they fight and lust and fight… and wonder if there is anything between them that could become love. With their lives wrapped up in the cattery, that seems like it would be simple, but it’s not. There are other players in the game with their own goals, and not everyone is out just to have fun. While this story has a kink element, of course, don’t be afraid to read it if you’re afraid it’s too out there. Sure, these guys meow and have a few props to bring the game to life, but there’s a whole lot of human going on. For me, that was somewhat of a detractor. A lot of what I’ve read in the past involving this type of play falls into a lifestyle choice, and not so much a job description, and it feels more like a visceral reality. That is, however, just my personal taste. And if you need a happy ending, rest assured, you will get it!
Loved this book!
While this book is not as dark as what they normally write I found it to be just as amazing as all their other titles. I am a huge fan of these two ladies and they never let me down with their unique writing. I suggest always approaching their books with an open mind but I feel like this one would be a good starting point for anyone looking for a little kink in their reading without being overwhelmed. The love between Goran and Ollie developed well and as a whole felt organic. It wasn't insta love or unbelievable, but I could still feel a real connection between the two characters. I will also say that between this book and the Boys and Guns series I can no longer pass a bottle of olive oil without giggling to myself! The conflict in this book wasn't over the top and was believable. I look forward to more books in this series and if you like this book I recommend their other series The copper horse which features pony play (animal role play) in a more in depth way. All in all this is a smooth transition into open minded, slightly off the beaten path reading I truly feel anybody can enjoy.
Drama, Jealousy and Smoking Hot Men!
When I first saw the title for this book it peaked my interest. Actually, the fact that these authors were writing another book peaked my interest. There is nothing yet that I haven’t loved from them, so really it didn’t matter what it was called I was going to pick it up and read it. I’ll be honest though, I was a little nervous since this book is about cat play and I’ve never read a book before with any kind of animal play. I really didn’t know what to expect, thought for sure I would just be creeped out and even though I love these authors, I half expected it to be the first time I wouldn’t like something they wrote because animal play isn’t my thing. Well let me tell you, these authors have a way of totally taking me out of my comfort zone and putting me in a situation where I not only embraced what I was reading but dare I say even turned on with how the story unfolded. Maybe because the cat play wasn’t as extensive as I thought it was going to be but I really wasn’t uncomfortable. I actually really enjoyed this story. This story brings us Goran, a man with no filter. He doesn’t mix words and speaks his mind. Basically he’s brutally honest, and talks before he thinks. You’ll get a good sense of his personality from the very beginning. I honestly burst out laughing the second he opened up his mouth because I could totally see myself saying the same kinds of things. He’s not a push over and definitely doesn’t back down when he knows he’s right. So anyways his mouth gets him into trouble and he finds himself unemployed and needing money quick. This ends up bringing him into contact with Luis and a very strange job offer. Luis has a hard time dealing with people. The only way he can handle any kind of personal interactions is through role play. He loves cats and wants a cat he can sleep with. So what’s better than having one cat? 5 cats… Being that he’s rich beyond belief, he creates this world where men go and live in his mansion and pretend to be cats while in his presence. He has 3 main rules the men in his Cattery have to follow. No leaving property. No communication with anyone outside the house and no exclusive relationships. They are allowed to have a boyfriend if they want within the house but their relationship must be open. They play the part and after a period of time being that they followed all the rules they get paid. Sounds easy enough right? Until it’s not And that’s about all I’m going to tell you about the story. I will say this. I really loved these characters. I loved meeting all the men in the Cattery. Some were more entertaining than others. If you read the blurb then you do know there’ll be some drama. There is a romance that brews within the Cattery and this book does have its fair share of drama, jealousy and yes smoking hot sex scenes. I really loved this story a lot more than I expected I would. I really hope at some point we really get to know more about Luis since we really only get to see glimpses of him as well as getting everyone else’s story. I really can’t wait for the next book in this series.
A Furry Would
3.5 stars I'm on the fence about my feelings for this book. On one hand, I loved the entire pet play project in this story and Luis. On the other hand, I didn't enjoy Goran & Ollie one bit. Ugh, I'm kinda disappointed in myself by that. Goran confused me alot, and I do understand all his reasons for doing this, but the one thing I didn't like is his "need" for Ollie. I know it's not far, trust me I'm working it out with myself. Goran is easy person to get. He puts it out from about him being rude at times, and being to blunt about things. He describes his self in a way that you would want to stay away from in my opinion. At times though, I understand Goran better then everyone in the book. He's not ever trying to get over on people, he's only trying to fix a problem that he created. He comes to the US for job opportunities, and therein lies his first problem, the job that was promised isn't there. I liked that he didn't give up and did what he had to do. Meeting Luis for this sketchy opportunity was hilarious to me. Being in Goran's head was funny. I would have been thinking the same exact thing. I've recently read a pet play book, and was intrigued. I loved the entire subject of The Cattery. It was something I was picturing in my mind. I really liked Luis as a character, and there we meet the other Cats. Oh my goodness. I love Clove & Bounce. We met Cin, and Ollie. Besides the romance that blossoms inside the Cattery, the relationships these guys have are all different. They all come from different backgrounds and are there for different reasons. Ollie is a difficult character for me to enjoy. He is completely stuck in his head most of the story. I couldn't understand his actions at all. I don't actually think I warmed up to him at all. I'm happy he was able to put himself first, and I'm super happy that Goran was able to look pass his actions. By the end I was able to see growth between both guys. I'm glad that they are each living for themselves and taking care of one another. I really enjoyed the lighter side of the Merikans, and glad to see the versatility from this duo. I hope we can see Luis, or Clove in the future. Those two definitely stood out to me. The Cattery is definitely a different kind of romance, but it was good enough for me.
it was fun, there was drama and the claws definitely came ...
This story was definitely something different, it was fun, there was drama and the claws definitely came out. The cat play is weirdly not uncomfortable at all, it was interesting and kinda fun actually. Goran, I love him! He was a great guy, I didn't mind his mouth. I thought he was very honest and had a huge heart. Ollie was kinda petty in the beginning but I understood why. He's been pretending to be a cat for a big part of two years, he has lived in a bubble with no internet or contact with the outside world besides Luis and The different guys that come to the cattery every 6 months. He feels alone in a full house and Luis is all he thinks he has in the world. In the end, Goran and Ollie got their HEA and I was delighted with their story. I will definitely read the next book in this series, I wanna know the other stories. Not Cinnamon's though, that two-faced bastard. I NEED Luis's story!
More then cat play.....
4.25 Stars!! I will never look at cats the same again! The Cattery by KA Merikan is like nothing I have ever read before. I am so glad I took a chance with it. Dare I say, cat play is fun, kinky and UNIQUE... I never expected to love this book as much as I did. It is written in such a smart and entertaining way. Nothing feels perverse or immoral. Although, it does have some wildly kinky scenes that I won't soon forget! Meow! There is more to it then just the Cattery and role playing... You will get your kinky fill of collars, furry ears, purring and cat play, as well as, hot kitty sex throughout. But there is also betrayal, friendships, revelations and romance. When down on his luck Goran comes across a rather interesting and hard to resist job offer, he jumps at the chance. Seems simple enough, act like a cat and live with other "cats" for 6 months in a mansion. All expenses paid. Hmmmm... How hard could that be? It's a last resort for Goran because his big, fat, unfiltered mouth, always gets him in trouble and fired! Now he desperately needs this job... Here is were this aberrant story gets so good! Luis is the peculiar owner of The Cattery... He is awkward with humans, so he rather be surrounded and sleep with his "cats." Besides having a cat fettish, he is rather sweet, kind and generous. There are 5 other guys at The Cattery. All with very different, bold personalities. Yes, all having sex with each other, making this one fun ride. I loved getting to know them all. Can Goran keep his mouth shut and just enjoy being a Cat? Of course not! Adjusting to life in the cattery is definitely different then anything he has experienced and is proving to be a challenge. Having a crush on one of the prettiest yet most overbearing cats, isn't helping at all. Ollie is one complicated character. He has his own issues that he keeps buried deep inside. To know him is to love him! (This is where the story heats up.) His & Goran's relationship is down right bitchy and tumultuous... Between the cat fights and fun, a real story and romance develops. The further you get in and the more you get to know the know the guys, the deeper your heart will be invested. It's not all cat play. Ultimately it's a beautiful love story that you will devour.
Good story, bad ending
I could figure out how the story was going to wrap up when I had 5% left and then it just... did SPOILERS. I guess it fits that Goran said he always makes bad impulsive choices, but what were they thinking saying they'd be exclusive with 2-3 months left in the contract. Goran was honest with himself from the beginning that he was a prostitute. He thought he could get away with "no" for the rest of the time he was there? It made for an unsatisfactory rushed ending after good character development and environment up to that point.
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