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The Difference Between Kindle Edition

by Leta Blake (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 442 ratings
"You're the strongest person I know.”

Wade Maguire and Russ Paulson are in love. After a year of passion and happiness, they’re buying a home and moving in together. Everything is rosy for them—until a jealous and insane ex from Wade’s past puts all of that to the test.

"I need to figure out if there’s a way to move past this. For both of us.”

After being kidnapped and tortured by his deranged former lover, Wade loses his ability to engage with his own sexuality or with Russ. With the help of a psychologist, EMDR therapy, and a sex plan, they work together to overcome the damage inflicted. In the process, they discover wells of love they’ve never known before.

“You never deserved what happened to you. No matter what you’ve told yourself. You only deserved love.”

As passion is reborn and their sex life reignited, Wade realizes a need to re-experience certain events in Russ’s loving arms. For Wade, the difference between pain and pleasure is love, and the difference between rape and rough sex is consent.

Dark, and yet ultimately hopeful, this story of true love and rape recovery contains many emotional and graphic scenes of two men making love, as well as some intense scenes of torture. Proceed with care.

The Difference Between is a 78,000 word steamy, graphic, intensely emotional novel with a strong happy ending. No cheating and no cliffhangers, just two men who fight for their love. STAND-ALONE

Previously published as The Difference Between under the Leta Blake's retired pen name Blake Moreno.
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  1. Print length
    296 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    January 10, 2017
  4. File size
    452 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Know that this is a difficult book, but the love story is incredible. Both Russ and Wade are amazingly strong characters. Nothing about what they go through is easy and would break lesser men. I loved this story and it has made it onto my reread list because it brought me to tears and moved me a lot." - Christi Snow, author of the Snowcroft Men series
"This is a great read, difficult at times but the characters' strength and love come out loud and clear." - Crystal's Many Reviewers, 5 star review
"This is a very powerful book. Dark, gritty, raw, and not easy to read. For an author to start a book out with such horrible darkness. To show us a humanity stripped of all its good and have us endure a Hell not many would survive and then turn it into a happiness we all wish we could feel just once in our lives? That's serious talent. I applaud the author and I do recommend this story." - Diverse Reader Reviews
"I was disappointed to find this is the first book by this author, as I was eager to jump into another story, but I will definitely be on the lookout in the future. Overall Impression: I loved it!" - The Blogger Girls Book Reviews

About the Author

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for over a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N5OF62D
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Leta Blake Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 10, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 452 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1626227606
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 442 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Leta Blake

    Leta Blake

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites like Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for nearly a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.

    If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

    Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake's Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

    Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

    On the web: https://letablake.com

    On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

    On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake

    See more on the author's page
  2. Blake Moreno

    Blake Moreno

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Blake Moreno explores the darker side of erotic romance. Married to a hot tech nerd, educated in BDSM, and attracted to twinks and twunks alike, Moreno embraces taboo explorations. Come along on a quest for intensity and deep emotion. Don’t fear the dark.

    Discover more about Blake on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blakemorenodarkink/

    Blake Moreno is an alternate pen name of the author Leta Blake.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
442 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and powerful, with amazingly strong characters and a stunning narrative. The story is intense and not for the faint of heart, with one customer describing it as a beautifully broken deep dive into mental illness. The readability receives mixed feedback, with some finding it a good read while others find it extremely difficult to read.

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17 customers mention "Story power"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's story powerful, with one customer describing it as a tour de force and another noting its intense subject matter.

"...Sadly. But it's also a conscience journey through the horrible circumstances and the overwhelming desire to survive...." Read more

"It was dark story but one I hope no has to go thru...." Read more

"...I loved reading this story and honestly think it will make it onto my reread list because it's one of those stories that brought me to tears and..." Read more

"...Impeccably written and shocking but also a beautiful story about standing by the people you love never matter what...." Read more

6 customers mention "Beauty"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book stunning, with one customer particularly appreciating the beautiful love story between Wade and Russ, while another notes its vivid descriptions.

"...heart wrenching emotions and give up control on this crazy, beautiful rollercoaster! I do highly recommend this to the right mindset! Again, triggers!" Read more

"...The deeds themselves were detailed and descriptive which broke my heart for both the victim and his partner who was left behind to deal with his..." Read more

"...The love Wade and Russ share is beautiful. The subject matter extremely intense and brutal. The writing flowed well and vividly." Read more

"...a problematic situation/negative feelings, into a passionate and beautiful affaire. Brilliant writing! Thank you." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting how they felt the emotions of the characters and another mentioning how they can overcome any adversity.

"...sexual torture with the help of true love, therapy, and the strongest main characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting...." Read more

"...Both Russ and Wade are amazingly strong characters. Nothing about what they go through is easy and would break lesser men...." Read more

"...It is also a powerful book about the resilience one can have after experiencing a very traumatic experience...." Read more

"...I felt the emotions of the characters, which was good. I do think that some of the rough talk took away from the story...." Read more

25 customers mention "Readability"17 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it well written and a treasure, while others describe it as extremely difficult to read.

"Extraordinary. Leta Blake has created a slice of the human condition that needs to be brought out of the dark and into the light...." Read more

"...This is a dark book, but it is beautifully written.The MC's emotions dig deep into your heart...." Read more

"...strong as Wade & Russ to try work all through it together.. It was awesome book.made me think, cry and cheer them on...." Read more

"...Impeccably written and shocking but also a beautiful story about standing by the people you love never matter what...." Read more

14 customers mention "Heartbreaking"8 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the emotional content of the book, with some finding it intense and not suitable for the faint of heart, while another customer describes it as a beautifully broken deep dive into mental illness.

"...This is a beautifully broken deep dive into mental illness and the unfortunate consequences of not being able or not recognizing its' ramifications...." Read more

"...It's NOT for the faint of heart...." Read more

"...of overcoming extreme sexual torture with the help of true love, therapy, and the strongest main characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting...." Read more

"...The subject matter extremely intense and brutal. The writing flowed well and vividly." Read more

4 customers mention "Dark tone"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the dark tone of the book negative.

"...This book takes the reader to extremely dark places, but it brings you out the other side beautifully if you can handle the pain...." Read more

"...This is a dark, dark book that goes into vivid detail about some hard subjects. It's NOT for the faint of heart...." Read more

"The Difference Between This is a very powerful story. Dark and Intense, andvsome parts were difficult to read. Heed the trigger warning...." Read more

"This is a must read.. I am digesting and thinking WOW.. It is dark and may trigger a lot of emotions." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • kathy
    5.0 out of 5 stars You will never forget this one!!!😍😘
    Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Extraordinary. Leta Blake has created a slice of the human condition that needs to be brought out of the dark and into the light. As much as I, personally, found this fierce you really need to highly regard the trigger warnings! This is a beautifully broken deep dive into mental illness and the unfortunate consequences of not being able or not recognizing its' ramifications. Sadly. But it's also a conscience journey through the horrible circumstances and the overwhelming desire to survive. And then, not just survive, but to thrive and truly live! These characters breathe such life into your brain and heart, all you can do is hold on for the tumultuous ride of heart wrenching emotions and give up control on this crazy, beautiful rollercoaster! I do highly recommend this to the right mindset! Again, triggers!
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  • Pembroke
    4.0 out of 5 stars All rightly then
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    That was a lot, except for one critique. The language arts errors. Kind of irritating. More was needed before the trauma. A lot of telling, not enough showing. Nice balanced ending
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  • Meg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Just...wow.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    That was extreme. I have never read a book that took me to the places this book took me. Please pay attention to the warnings about chapters two and three, I believe. If you cannot handle extreme torture and rape, skip those. If you cannot handle references to these events, this book is not for you. This book takes the reader to extremely dark places, but it brings you out the other side beautifully if you can handle the pain.

    This story is a story of overcoming extreme sexual torture with the help of true love, therapy, and the strongest main characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. In overcoming the darkness, a lot of the more taboo acts take place; so again, if you are wanting vanilla sex scenes, this is absolutely not the book for you. There was one act, aka, water sports, that would usually really creep me out, but it served a huge purpose in the story. Prepare yourself for an extreme love story that transcends what some might think of as romance. This is a dark book, but it is beautifully written.The MC's emotions dig deep into your heart. If you're not affected by this book, I don't know what to say.

    Proceed with caution, but don't pass this powerful book by if you aren't afraid of the dark.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kalix
    4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Skip if you can
    Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I read the author's trigger warning and chose to skip chapters two and three. I don't regret my decision, but it did affect how I viewed one of the main characters. The trauma was alluded to in later chapters, but I never developed a complete understanding of what the character survived. As a result, it was harder to empathize with his long journey to recovery. In the end, I got there. But in the beginning, it was like looking at a Seurat painting up close. You kinda miss the bigger picture.

    I encourage those who can to read the book in its entirety. But I understand those who can't.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Difference Between by Leta Blake
    Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    It was dark story but one I hope no has to go thru. But life as we know has some bad things happening to good people like the Characters in this story. I was thinking would I be has strong as Wade & Russ to try work all through it together.. It was awesome book.made me think, cry and cheer them on. Thank you writing this book it may help some one.
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  • Gabriella
    3.0 out of 5 stars Dark
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    We jumped into the thick of things almost immediately. But before that, we got to know how Russ and Wade met and became a couple. It was just a recollection of events in the first chapter.

    Wade decided to reconcile his friendship with his ex, but he didn't expect what came next..
    Writing from the villain's POV is a hard thing to pull off. To me this scenario was ridiculous, which was partly intentional. But there’s a fine line between ridiculousness and portraying a crazy person with manic tendencies. And it didn't work for me here.

    What shocked me a bit is that there's 2 kids in this story, 9 and 12 year olds, and they've been told what happened to Wade, though not in detail. That's just not right. I don't understand why that was necessary.

    Otherwise, I liked Russ, he's a devoted boyfriend, very much in love. And I liked them together. I also understood the mentality behind this whole story, but after a while it got out of hand to me. I've no doubt the author did her research, regarding torture victims, but the plan they put together with the Doc was too similar to what happened to Wade and I didn't like that. But like I said, I understand, and believe that a plan like that could work to heal the mind of the victim, but it was hella weird. Kudos to Russ for going along with it.

    All in all, this whole book revolved around sex, one way or another. And I would've liked to know more about Wade's friendship with Owen, see the good times, and get a grasp of their dynamic, how was it back then. And also to see the joyful life Russ and Wade had before the kidnapping.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Smitten with Reading
    5.0 out of 5 stars A rating...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    My Review:
    Warning...before going into this book, be sure you read the story description very carefully. This is a dark, dark book that goes into vivid detail about some hard subjects. It's NOT for the faint of heart. BUT if you can get through those first few chapters, it's an incredible story about resilience and love that I absolutely adored reading.

    And dang, now I have no idea what else to write because I don't want to post any spoilers. Seriously, the author did an amazing job with her story description. Read that. Know that this is a difficult book, but I found the love story to be incredible. Both Russ and Wade are amazingly strong characters. Nothing about what they go through is easy and would break lesser men. I loved reading this story and honestly think it will make it onto my reread list because it's one of those stories that brought me to tears and moved me... a lot.

    And you know what...I'm going to leave this review at that.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sue
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dark but terrific book
    Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    It’s not every author who can tackle a very dark subject like this and make a great uplifting story out of it. Blake Moreno does this and more. WARNING This book is very graphic. If you feel you might be triggered be careful. BUT This is a book about love and recovery more than anything.
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  • Khurshid Khoree
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Intense
    Reviewed in India on January 11, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This was one very intense dark romance book I have read in some time. My first book by Blake Moreno.
    I have read Leta Blake before and thoroughly enjoyed her books like Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Mr. Frosty Pants, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Training Season Series, Any Given Lifetime, etc., etc.

    The Difference Between was just something different, at least for me. It was good that a warning was given for triggers right at the beginning of the book and I wish I had taken heed to that, and not read the first two chapters, which actually laid the foundation of the book.

    My heart went out to Wade Maguire for the intense physical and sexual experience he had to endure after being kidnapped at the hands of a person he knew once. What a horrific experience to live with and the suffering of the mental trauma as a survivor.
    Russ Paulson his lover, a lawyer by profession stood by him, a true boyfriend giving him the support he needed to heal. Their love was strong and their bond was unshakable, showing that love does conquer all. I rooted for them, wanted to hold them and tell them it would be okay, to take away the pain they both felt deep in their bones, and cheered them on as Wade fought on for his sanity. But their journey was one they had to make and they had to do this together.

    I am a big fan of MM romance books, but this book left me feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sex acts described at great lengths, both at the time of being a captive, (the flashbacks) and during the healing process, it was a bit too much for me to digest. Though the outcome of all the sexual experiments they tried out, making the negative experiences into positive situations with help of Russ allowed Wade to get back to being his somewhat normal self.

    And, one last observation, I don't know if it is only me, but I was very curious to know more about Owen and their friendship before he became so obsessed with Wade, and how and who informed the police to land up at the remote house Wade was being held and tortured for weeks before they barged in to save him from a certain death in the nick of time. Was that mentioned somewhere in the book or did I miss reading that somehow?
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  • Appassionata
    1.0 out of 5 stars No.
    Reviewed in Italy on October 25, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Non è solo per la violenza che questo romanzo racchiude, dal blurb si intuiva. E' proprio per l'inverosimilità della cosa e soprattutto per la mancanza di pathos che questo testo contiene. Non c'è ansia, non c'è tensione, non c'è angoscia. Non me le ha trasmesse. Perciò a metà l'ho abbandonato. spiacente
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  • Louisa Mae
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing dark, harrowing subject matter handled well.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This was one of those books that a friend recommended and then gave me a warning about, just my kinda book in other words.

    Yes, the subject matter is hard, and for some this might be a trigger, but you can skip the chapters and not lose anything from the story.

    I loved how nothing was done for the sake of it, each scene was pivotal, needed and furthered the story of how someone can be so terribly broken, but can fight to survive.

    Wade was hurt in the worst possible way, and where so many others wouldn’t recover, Wade didn’t want to hand the power over to the man who literally tore his world apart.

    Russ is his partner, the man who wants his lover to regain everything he lost when he was kidnapped and held by his on off lover.

    The bond between them is strong, unshakable and shows that love really does conquer all. I rooted for them, wanted to hold them and tell them it would be okay, to take away the pain they both felt deep in their bones. But their journey was one they had to make and they had to do this together.

    The way this was written was strong, and it made me want to read more and more, the way they handled Wade’s demons, the love Russ showed came through on every single page.

    This book won’t be for everyone, and I wouldn’t recommend it to all my friends, but those who can appreciate the darker subject matter would certainly enjoy this.

    I look forward to more from this author.
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  • LOVinkBOOKS
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 intense stars
    Reviewed in Germany on June 30, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Wow I don‘t know if I can find words for this book...it‘s really heavy and intense, heartbreaking and gut wrenching like no other book I‘ve read so far, but there‘s so much love in it too.

    It‘s really hard to read about what Wade had to endure but the bigger part of the book is about the after, the healing. That was still intense but more touching then crushing like the captivity.
    I appreciate that we get both Wade and Russ‘s povs and I loved how they kept fighting for their love/realtionship.

    That Wade was never coming back. So what?
    Russ was going to love the hell out of the Wade who had.

    I‘m not sure I should say „I enjoyed this book“, don‘t know but it feels wrong...I think the author did a wonderful job writing such a heavy and dark story and I loved seeing Wade and Russ not giving up and letting Owen win but fighting and healing together. They show there is light and love after darkness and pain and that‘s what I „enjoyed“ and why this book will stay with me for a long long time.
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