Title: Helpmate
Series: Chess Series book 4
Author: Sean Michael
Genre: BDSM/Ménage
Length: Novella (107 pages)
Publisher: Totally Bound (November 22nd, 2013)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: This is book four in the Chess series, see the full series listing here
Knight is home from the hospital, so everything should be back to normal, right? Things are never that easy, though, and the men of Chess must fight to get their lives back.
Knight has returned home from the hospital, but is far from recovered. Things seem to be going well, but depression slowly winds its way around Knight, and he spends all his time in bed sleeping, slipping farther and farther away from his lovers and life.
Rook just wants everything to go back to normal now that their lover is home and Bishop is out of his depth when it comes to Knight’s depression. Can Jason figure out what’s wrong and take the steps needed to help Knight find himself again?
The struggle has just begun in Knight’s recovery—are the men of Chess up to the task? Find out in this fourth installment of the Chess series.
Product Link: https://www.totallybound.com/helpmate
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: Sean Michael has quite a range of writing, and this one fits under the fun, almost fantasy stories of BDSM ménages. Where men who like to get their kink on build a family of sorts.
I have read a lot of Michael’s work, but not the first three books to this series, so I may not be giving the best impression. The book seems a bit shallow at times, all very playful, kinky of course, but not terribly realistic. However, the strong point about this book is in the support that Knight’s chosen family gives him through his rehabilitation and depression. In that, Helpmate is a tale of being there through sickness and in health, supporting your lover with kindness and tough love both.
Turns out the polyamory is not what Knight needs right away. His feelings of separation, depression, and inadequacy can best be healed by some one on one time with the original man in his life, and that means Bishop needs to take him away for some emotional healing, followed up by Jason’s insistence on the physical therapy leading to his body’s healing. Only once Knight has been healed can he let himself feel part of the pack.
Light reading, and probably best to read the series in order!