Of Late Belonging by Rob MacWolf

You might like this book if you:

-Are into BDSM, puppy play, and slave play

-Enjoy themes of self-actualization, insecurity, queer support structures, and non-traditional relationships

-Want to see how kink can help a person grow into a better version of themselves

-Are curious about the logic behind kinky lifestyles and non-monogamous relationships

-Love like a puppy

To summarize: Of Late Belonging is simultaneously one of the hottest and most profoundly relatable books I've read this year. Through well-crafted characters and a subversive writing style, Rob MacWolf affirms how kink and sexual freedom can play a grand role in healing and self-actualization.

Full Review:

Of Late Belonging is a gay, polyamorous, erotic romance packed with kinky bdsm scenes and a relatable main character. The story follows Roy, a lonely wolf whose self-worth and confidence has been decimated by a complicated breakup. While lingering at a gay bar, he's approached and dommed by Graham, a puma who recognizes that Roy needs help and who decides to take the wolf under his wing. What follows is a dive into a kinky and loving lifestyle as Graham puts the wolf through his paces, and ultimately tries to help him heal from his personal tragedy.

The Fallacy of the Gay Fixer Upper

The concept of a guy coming into someone's life and "fixing" them by whisking them away to a loving, kinky life is nothing new. You've probably seen that fantasy in more than a few novels. But Rob MacWolf starts the story off with a prelude that argues against the idea of this "fixer upper" genre being strictly fantasy. It essentially calls out the reader's potential views on such scenarios, saying that:

Supportive relationships are a human need, like food. However, just as food can't permanently fix a starving person, relationships cannot and should not be expected to "fix" people. But at the same time…

The moralism that one needs to fix themselves before they can be capable of being in a relationship is absurd, as a starving person doesn't benefit from starving themselves further.

My summary here doesn't paint the full or accurate picture. You'll have to read the expertly-written prelude for that. But I found it fascinating that these two points immediately disarm common cynical assumptions about this "fixer upper" concept. They point out that these situations are far more nuanced than people give them credit for.

This is one of the most crucial preludes I've read in a book, without which readers may not appreciate the rest story as much. It brilliantly sets up a new perspective, inviting the reader to swap out the biased lens they usually see such stories through. When viewed through that new lens, an already great book opens up into something truly special.

The downside of this is that if readers don't understand the prelude and doesn’t take it to heart, they may not see the story by this same expansive perspective. So if you do read this book, make sure to commit that prelude to your experience. I have a feeling that we'll be able to tell based on different reviews of the book whether the reader did the same or not.

The Gay Guy in Distress

Post-prelude, the story begins with Roy, gay wolf and emotional trainwreck. Both his romantic and social lives were derailed by a relationship gone wrong, leaving him feeling lonely and gaslighting him into a cratered sense of self-worth. When Graham takes him under his wing, he begins the process of raising Roy out of that miserable state of mind. The depressed "gay guy in distress," so to speak, isn't a particularly unique archetype in stories like this. But Roy is elevated over similar characters by his relatability and his inner dialogue.

Roy's inner world will be as relatable as it gets for readers who have suffered from loneliness, loss of friendships, and/or emotionally-abusive relationships. And despite his situation being filled with misfortune, his inner dialogue isn't written with a stagnant, depressed tone. Instead, Roy's contemplation is energized by his sheer bafflement at what's happening to his life as Graham puts him through his paces, and it's super entertaining seeing him get all the love and sex he wants and deserves while internally panicking and blushing red as a tomato under his fur.

Because while Roy is a bit conflicted about what he's exploring, he's also having more fun than he's had in years, and it's heartwarming to watch him slowly return to health. Plus as Graham introduces him to this unique, kinky lifestyle, he'll discover what that lifestyle means for his inner turmoil and his perspective on the past. It's a nice journey to watch him go through. One I believe will be relatable for many a kinkster.

Seeing Roy's new life for the beautiful change it is does however require an open mind and a certain level of comfort with kinky lifestyles. Some readers who aren't familiar with such things may be turned off. I would hope that the majority of them instead invite the unfamiliar.

The Gay Savior

Graham plays the part of the guy who's going to help Roy, sort of turning the wolf into a project. There is literally a scene where Graham has a pen and paper and has set up a sort of profile for Roy, determining what he needs to do to be a supportive relationship and help bring the wolf out of his misery. It made me feel conflicted about Graham. I couldn't decide if he was a sweet guy who's putting a lot of effort into considering Roy's feelings, or if he's being calculating and manipulative.

That conflict, to me, was the extent of Graham's complexity, because his characterization could otherwise be described as "the perfect dom." He has his life and mind together, perhaps incidentally acting as one of the primary foil characters for Roy (of which there are many). He's a flawless guiding force in Roy's life from the moment they first meet, and he never stumbles in that guidance. His role in the story is to draw out the best in Roy and to be a contrast for his insecurities.

I describe Graham this way because it's a characterization that will likely appeal to some readers and not others depending on if they understood the prelude or feel conflicted about Graham like I did. I enjoyed Graham as a literary device first and foremost. Everything about him allows the reader to get a better look into Roy's psyche and enables the heartwarming relatability I loved to see. But other readers who enjoy stories with multiple complex characters may find Graham too one-note for their liking. His perfection may distract from their suspension of disbelief or be boring to them.

This is a matter of preference, and matters of preference are often mistaken for criticism, so I'm interested in seeing if this one becomes a common complaint or not. I would however argue that Graham's characterization is great when taking to heart the prelude and understanding he's meant to elevate Roy.

The Sexiness of Supportive Relationships

The best part of this book is how it shows kink and supportive relationships being a positive force for change in a person's life. It shows exactly how such a lifestyle can make a person stronger and more self-actualized. It's a message that's much-needed in today's world, where non-traditional relationships are demonized and kinky people are assumed to be self-destructive. Many people are afraid to get involved in kink (or frankly anything out of the ordinary) because they believe it will somehow tarnish or ruin them. Of Late Belonging shows that, with the right supportive relationships, nothing could be farther from the truth.

I should emphasize "with the right supportive relationships." While kink is plentiful in Of Late Belonging, Roy's experience is also surrounded by and saturated with kind and caring people. Such supportive relationships are the driving force of the story and of its meaning. The hotness of the sex and kink in this book is made even hotter by the love and care it's infused with.

This isn't the case for every relationship in real life, and the story addresses that as well. While it didn't linger on the foil for Roy's positive experience, I appreciated that the foil was there to emphasize the importance of good people in the formula. Otherwise it would have made the story feel even more overly idealistic than it already is, perhaps breaking suspension of disbelief.

Super Supportive Supporting Characters

The supporting characters in this story deserve a big highlight. Graham is part of a polyamorous relationship of four other characters who all play a part in showing Roy the ropes (one of them quite literally). Each brings something to the table, enlightening Roy on why he may be enjoying certain parts of his new life, helping him get physically fit, teaching him new skills, and more. And of course, all of them are extremely supportive and loving, like Graham. They all have their own stuff going on as well, including jobs and hobbies, so they feel well-rounded instead of just being there to serve a single purpose. I'd love to see those characters expanded upon in other stories. Perhaps even additional prequel novel

Outside of the polycule are a few characters who act as foils for Roy. Two of them are part of the foil for Roy's positive experience that I mentioned in the last section. Another is a foil showing where Roy's life could have gone had he continued on his self-depreciating trajectory. These foils are well-crafted and do a great job of bringing out more of the meaning in Roy's characterization.

Of course, what gay story would be complete without a bigoted faction? Roy's family is a pretty realistic depiction of an unaccepting household. They haven't gone as far as disowning Roy, but they've also exiled him to live in the upper floor of his dad's auto-repair shop so his gayness doesn't infect his younger brother. They're that kind of family. I always appreciate when the bigotry doesn't reach cartoonish levels. Even though such cartoonish bigotry is becoming more common in real life, it can still feel unrealistic in other books. This situation feels much more realistic and common for the average household, and does a much better job of adding conflict to Roy's story.

The Writing Style

Rob MacWolf has one of my favorite writing styles in the furry fandom, and I was happy to see it utilized so effectively here. He's particularly good at making a story's 3rd person narration reflect the character it's narrating for. Usually 1st person writing is used when a writer wants to include the character in the narration and believes that will be lost with the inclusion of a characterless narrator. But Rob MacWolf shows how one can write in 3rd person without losing that character-driven narration aspect. This also gives the writing a unique flavor, helping it stand out from other 3rd person books and making it more engaging.

There are also some great moments of unique structure in here. One of my favorite examples is when a paragraph alternates between dialogue and emotional narration. The character says something via dialogue, followed by narration expressing the emotional weight behind those words, and/or saying what isn't being said. This alternates in a pattern several times throughout a paragraph, like poetry, giving dialogue extra muscle and connective tissue.

I should say that both of these also make for some fantastic sex scenes. It's immersive writing that I think will get readers more hot and heavy than usual.

Prose nerds like myself will enjoy this book for those reasons, and readers who are usually unconscious of writing styles should find themselves highly engaged.

Collared and Concluded

So, Of Late Belonging is obviously one of the best books I've read this year. The character growth and thematic depth are expert-level. It's an important book for our time, and I believe it can help a lot of people who struggle with the same inner turmoil as Roy. I can only hope that other readers feel the same, and that they find as much meaning in the novel as I did. It's certain to show up in my personal 2025 awards list, and I'm sure I'll be talking about so much in the coming years that my friends get sick of me bringing it up.

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