I have read a reasonable number of Hall's books (I think this was my 5th) and yet I am always completely floored by the skill that he demonstrates in his writing. For Real is a contemporary age-gap romance with very prominent BDSM elements.

It is rare that an age gap romance works for me as the dynamic is something that I find incredibly challenging; the number of age gap romances that I have enjoyed I can count on a single hand. This book has very securely earned a place amongst that elite club. There are two reasons, in my opinion, that the age gap of this book works so well: 1) it is incredibly self-aware that this gap exists and the characters are grappling on-page with the implications of such a significant gap and 2) the fact that the younger party is the dominant creates a power dynamic that seems to work well to counterbalance the age power dynamic.

This re-released edition of For Real comes with incredible annotations from Hall that feel as though you are in a book club with the author. I particularly enjoyed reading the ways in which this book was created as a way of challenging ideas about what kink is and is not, as well as the narrow view of penetration being an act of submission. This exploration is further executed by the fact that this book is told through dual POV so the reader is able to experience both the feelings of submission and of dominance and the way that submission can come in many smaller ways.

Be aware that this book does come with a little bit of emotional weight that comes from something external to the characters' relationship but has an impact on them all the same.

Alexis Hall is an incredible writer who has yet to write a book that didn't completely blow me away with the authenticity of the relationships he writes. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that is even vaguely interested.