Posted on

#MyReads: The Shepherd of Ashburn Court — Ben Shepherd Series, Book 1

Book 1 of one of the best series I’ve ever read on Literotica is now available on Amazon! Even though I’ve read it, I’m happy to shell out $3 to support this author, known as Burnt Redstone on Lit, but going by just B. Redstone on Amazon. I’m glad to be able to add his book to my #MyReads page.

Ben Shepherd’s life was finally going to plan with a lucrative career, a comfortable nest egg, a family home, and a loving wife.
Then her betrayal ripped that life away.
His heart shattered, Ben’s life fell into limbo until tragedy strikes his neighborhood and he’s forced to step up to support those left behind.
Ben finds purpose and learns to love again.

From that beginning premise, Ben finds himself supporting, saving and falling in love with multiple women in his neighborhood at once, despite his own resistance and belief that he’s not deserving of their love, admiration and particularly their belief that he’s a hero.

The blurb doesn’t touch on it, but there are recurring elements of PTSD and BDSM in the story as well as some violence, which might justify trigger warnings for those elements. Ben is a survivor of repeated traumas. Multiple times in the story, flashbacks lead to him acting (heroically, usually) on autopilot, after which he can’t remember his recent actions. This becomes an escalating problem for him in the story as his repressed memories resurface. There is also a repeated pattern of the women around Ben ignoring his boundaries and even his consent, in initiating sexual contact with him. While lots of apologies (and a good bit of hot angry sex) usually follow, it could be a bit much for some.

Even with that, the characters are all well drawn, with their own motivations for pursuing Ben. Ben himself is pretty easy to like, although you do begin to worry about his mental health and whether he might wind up hurting someone he cares for, instead of saving them.

I’ll promise you this, though: Once you meet Ben Shepherd, you’re not going to forget him.