Website reviews are going to be a little different than the book reviews just because the media and content is presented differently. The first website that was suggested to me for a review on this site is Taken in Hand. In fact it was the only suggestion so those of you who have a favorite website out there, let me know, will you?
Taken in Hand has been online since 2003 and has changed very little in its focus since then. The soft pink website has been one that I’ve known of since I started exploring D/s. But in case you didn’t know, it is not a D/s or BDSM website. It aspires to the Head of Household dynamic (which, incidentally, CAN have elements of BDSM or D/s in them if the relationship wants it).
Focus
The site author, simply known as “the boss” says this about the focus of his website;
I wanted to create a new kind of site – not a standard relationship site on which it is completely taken for granted that to have a good relationship, husband and wife must be equal and seen to be equal (whether they like it or not) – and on the other hand, not a standard traditional site on which it is taken for granted that the wife should submit to her husband – but also not a BDSM / D/s / SM sex site (which all leave me personally completely cold, if not queasy). I wanted my site to be free of the cliquey language, embarrassing rituals and modes of address and the surprisingly narrow thinking one finds on D/s and BDSM sites, and as a non-spanko, I wanted a site that would also not be a DD site. (About the site owner |TakeninHand.com)
With this in mind he keeps all articles and forum discussions on his straight and narrow path of husband superior marriages and the dynamics within that. He goes into depth about what he hopes his website expresses, including an atmosphere that would be welcoming and supportive to everyone and not hostile to any opposing paths. I think he succeeds in this by not posting information that would outright attack both his Taken in Hand philosophy but also other relationship styles that are different than Taken in Hand. This absence is a strong line in his site. You will not find information about BDSM, spanking, domestic discipline or any other D/s style on the site.
Content
The articles are easy to read and you can tell that there is a lot of conversation about every topic. The forums are still well used and all areas where comments are allowed have intelligent discussion and discourse.
The site, run with Drupal software, is very easy to navigate with essays in a blog format, as well as archived by category, date, author and popularity. I especially like the Tour Page which highlights the best of the best on the site as well as walks you through the basics of what a Taken in Hand relationship looks like. I recommend everyone takes a look at the overview, which helps the reader understand and take a peek at the Taken in Hand relationship.
Writing Style
The writing style is varied since, like this site, it is a community of guest writers and lead writers all submitting posts on the topic. Many are personal stories of individual dynamics and give a glimpse into the world of a Taken in Hand relationship. The essays are well thought out, longer pieces are broken up with headings and section breaks to make it easier for you to process what you are reading (or skim if you are that type of reader).
Message Effectiveness
I enjoy this site and the articles I read on it. While they don’t use specific phrases that I do here, like submission and service and surrender, I can still apply much of what I read to my own life. I know how to take what I read and make it work or discard it. There are some wonderful gems of information and knowledge in its pages.
I think it’s also very effective in that it’s been growing and expanding since it’s inception in 2003. Many websites can not boast the same lifetime. Hundreds of articles and forum discussions can’t be wrong.
Resources
TakeninHand.com has excellent pages of resources that I hope you consider browsing.
- Books
- Quotations
- Links
- Reviews on books and films
My name is lunaKM and I’m a full-time stay-at-home submissive in a D/s relationship.
I started blogging when I was exploring D/s online in 2003. I needed advice, mentors and helping hands. Since then I've made it my mission to help novice submissives understand themselves and the services they wish to provide. 
I have been reading Taken in Hand for a few years now.
I like the philosophy of Taken in Hand and even think of my relationship as “Taken in Hand”.
While the site owner and admin don’t condemn D/s, M/s, or bdsm there are a few articles/author entries that are dismissive of the kink lifestyle and refer to it as “play” vs. Taken in Hand being something real.
There is also quite a bit of discussion about spanking with many viewing spanking as mandatory to keep the wife in line (e.g., punishment and maintenance). Not all points of view are along this line of thinking but there many.
Like you, there is a lot of the site that I take and I lot that I leave. Such as the notion that Taken in Hand is only for married couples, and there are even a few posts that are Christian-centric. So, I read that stuff with a grain of salt because it isn’t my belief.
All in all, I like the site because I believe in the “male-led” relationship lifestyle for me. At Taken in Hand, there are a lot of good entries written by a variety of men and women.
I meant to add the my Sir and I have gone through the site many times together, in the beginning of our relationship; and, used various subject matter and entries as jumping off points for discussion. We had some really awesome talks that help shape US.
You might also consider looking at learningdd.blogspot.com. It goes a little more into the disciplinary aspect of DD, without being pornographic at all. Each article there also usually has a whole commentary conversation between anyone reading and the site owner(s).
I’m not connected with that site, other than as an occasional reader.
I second that recommendation. I follow the blog to learn more about DD since KM and I are not in a DD relationship. It’s very interesting!