Keeping Sir Thorne by Sean Michael

18747576Title: Keeping Sir Thorne

Series: Rose & Thorne (Book 3)

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: BDSM, Tattoos

Length: Short Story (46 pages)

Publisher: Changling Press (November 1st, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating:
♥♥♥3 Hearts

Blurb: It’s been nearly a year since Rose and Thorne met and things are going really well. They love their jobs at the tattoo parlor, they’re thinking of spending some time volunteering, and their love is flourishing, in the bedroom and out of it!

Rose is still somewhat hesitant about the things he and Thorne enjoy together, though. He’s been brought up to think that things like spanking during sex are weird. Will Thorne be able to convince him that whatever gets them off together is perfectly normal for them? And if he does, will Rose be able to take the next step — calling Thorne Sir?

Product Link: http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=2139

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: It’s a rather soft BDSM tale.

It’s really rather sweet, lots of love, patience and community volunteering. Tattoos and piercings are also a large part of this series. There are parts of this story that move incredibly slow, and parts that seem to skip some subtleties like the piercings. I think that is a major step yet, the actual process, the piercing is quickly glazed over. Hard to believe for me that by book three Rose is still confused about the nature of their relationship, again that seems to be the slow-moving part.

This is a lighthearted read, yes, there is some spanking, and D/s but it’s not heavy. Odd to say this about a BDSM story, but it’s cute.

Cereus: Training by Sean Michael, Julia Talbot, and B.A. Tortuga

18682426Title: Cereus: Training

Series: Cereus #3 – Anthology

Author: Sean Michael, Julia Talbot, B.A. Tortuga

Genre: Erotica / Paranormal

Length: 188 pages (3 stories)

Publisher: Torquere Press (October 16th 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Paranormal resort Cereus is running like clockwork, but in these three stories, a whole new crop of employees and guests, like bears, vampires and fallen angels, might require some extra training.

In Ursa Minor, by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga, little bear Dakota is losing his sight, and is causing some serious damage trying to wait tables. Resort owner Jonny thinks he knows just what Dakota needs. His name is Cord, and the big grizzly shifter is more than willing to take Dakota on. In Heaven and Hell by Sean Michael, fallen angel Uri has no idea how to be mortal. Luckily, demon Quake is happy to show Uri all about the pleasures of being flesh and blood. Finally, in Weed and Feed, by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga, Terry and Boone are young werewolves who need a firm hand. Alpha wolf Jackson and vampire Cian are willing, and able, to provide just that.

Cereus: Training takes up where Building and Opening began, with all the fun chaos only Cereus can provide!

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=4039

Review: Cereus Training Anthology; Seriously fun anthology if you ask me. Well it’s a resort, people are there to calm and vacation and I believe we all get the picture about what happens when you have all the time in the world and the premises to do whatever you feel like. In this anthology, you have a vast range of paranormal, werewolves, vampires, angels, and demons, even bears and bear-cubs, you name it. The stories vary from romantic to highly erotic – really a demon is involved, what d’ya expect? – and the most playfully erotic story ever. Young wolves need a leash I tell ya. So if you’re a fan of biting, nibbling, caressing, furs and all kinds of erotic scenes, this is the anthology for you. Enjoy!

Ursa Minor by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga ♥♥♥3 Hearts

Dakota, a bear shifter, is going blind. A genetically disease that can’t be cured by the shifter’s healing abilities and coping with it is so hard on the little man. Jonny and Luc send him over at the Cereus Resort and he finds a job as a client’s personal attendant.

Cord is a grizzly shifter and he finds the little bear charming. Everything about Dakota suits him, even his blindness. He helps him cope with it with the use of blindfold, as Cord is a fan of blindfold play. Could they be more suitable for each other?

But losing one’s sight is not easy to deal with. Fears nearly cripple Dakota and the almost permanent state of panic makes him clumsy. In order for him to relax, accept, and deal with his new life, he’s going to blindly trust the big bear, trust him with his whole life.

The story is nice and easy, a bit emotional, a bit dramatic. A love blooms steadily while the two men try to be there for each other. Yes Dakota is a needy character here by default, he is in a bad place, but Cord needs him too, he needs someone to understand him, understand his bear nature, and not judge him. A failed relationship help a great deal for Cord to understand and truly appreciate how important it is for him to have a mate, to love and care with the simplistic way the bears do by their nature.

The story while easy and not overly complex has a way of making you feel heavy inside. I can’t really point a finger to it, but the dialogues and inner thoughts made me sigh a bit too much, feeling overwhelmed by simple things when I shouldn’t. Other than that, there wasn’t really much going on to keep me interested, it was one simple love/mating story albeit with peculiar characters. If you expect a wild side from these bears, you’ll be disappointed. They are the lazy kind, they are in a resort after all, and they simply chill around lying in wait for Dakota to go totally blind and finally accept that as a fact in his life. Even the “mating” is a bit tame and slow and easy here, mostly lovemaking with a special brand of romance, one that doesn’t require too many words to be told. That, I actually liked and felt good reading it. It suited this read a lot.

Heaven and Hell by Sean Michael ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

A Fallen Angel or… a pushed one as the case seems to be, Uri is unable to cope with what happened. To be damned for Eternity for helping his friend, for saving his life against the rules. But rules are to be obeyed and the fact that he didn’t repent and would do it again is what caused him his ripped wings.

Now the transaction from ethereal to corporeal is something Uri can’t understand, can’t deal with and Nathan’s only choice is to ask for help for Uri’s sake.

Quake! A demon… A sadist demon… A Master in a BDSM resort…

Yes, yes, someone had the brilliant idea to get a demon helping a Fallen Angel and oddly enough, it’s the perfect match. No, you won’t see BDSM scenes here, unless you count a scene with a very light binding of the wrists Quake uses to make Uri focus on feelings alone. No, you won’t see the sadistic side of the demon here on glorious display, and frankly I’d be a bit put off if that what the case. What you’ll read about is the most fantastic and fun falling in love, demon/angel making mountains tremble and a great deal of sexual scenes, erotic, sensual, glorious even.

I’ve read many food-on-the-bed scenes, but nothing more erotic, more sinfully delicious that Uri and Quake. Damn, hot damn! Everything about this pair is just that, HOT! Immortality suits marathon sex a lot, innocence suits the angel and depriving him from that suits the demon, and endless circle that makes you pant in the end.

Now if I was a religious person, that violence that came from above would have put me off a great deal in this story, but since I’m not, and I’m in favor of let fiction be I went with it. However, a heads up for Uri suffers a great deal of pain and violence from “Them” and a great deal of love and understanding from his demon.

In the end, this was a great love story dipped in a lot of delicious, sinful scream evoking, erotic scenes. Loved it!

Weed and Feed by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts

Oh my God, what a furious read this one. Happy, joyful, fun, and sexy as hell. Ok people, there are two lovely wolves who are in need of discipline. They can’t stop fooling around with each other, romping and rutting. It’s like that they manage to get Cian’s attention. The vampire hates to slow, lazy life of the resort and just as he’s about to give it up and go back to the city, here come those two little teases. Terry and Boone are perfect and call to his need for sexual adventure.

Just as he makes plans for the three of them that evening, the two wolves manage to drag into their play a strong and kinky Alpha. However, instead of that making things awkward Jackson (the Alpha) and Cian decide to share.

Boon takes it pretty well, being the most carefree one of them two and more than intrigued with the Vampire, but Terry is all challenging the big, bad Alpha wolf earning himself quite some spanking.

Need I say more? Orgies!!! Oh my, I sound ridiculous screaming that in my room while writing this review, but yeah, this was one heck of a read. Probably the best I’ve read from this duo of authors, and certainly the best of the anthology. I loved the pairs here. Jackson and Terry, and Cian with Boon, they were all delectable. If I had to pick and choose, I think the vamp/wolf pair would win, but only with a small difference because the all-wolves pair was pretty hot too. The entire read is sex, sex, sex. The erotic level here skyrockets and you need to keep up because it doesn’t let go. Jac/Terry combo is the kinkiest pair with Cian/Boone being more snuggly and adorable. It was odd seeing Cian falling for Boone, it was done so well. He simply floated around that emotion like a damn snowflake and his indulging Boon’s every whim was just so perfect (yeah, I want a Cian of my own). Jacson on the other hand was admirable in his insistence, as Terry was more than a handful. At times, I wondered if the big Alpha would simply let him go and abandon the case.

Ah, such an intense read this one. Lovely and fun and a heck of a ride.

 

Helpmate by Sean Michael

18626521Title: 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!

Obedience Classes by Sean Michael

18112860Title: Obedience Classes

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Werewolves/Dubious Consent

Length: Short (30 pages)

Publisher: Storm Moon Press (June 22nd, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Cat

Blurb: When his pack alpha becomes fed up with his rebellion, werewolf Trevor is overdue for an attitude adjustment. Lone wolf Dirk is charged with this task, as a favor to the pack. Dirk, though, seems more interested in claiming Trevor for himself, by any means necessary. And regardless of Trevor’s feelings on the matter.

Note: This story was previously published in the Like it or Not anthology

Purchase Link: http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Obedience-Classes.aspx

Review: Trevor is young and doesn’t like being part of the pack. He is quite the rebel and the pack leader wants Trevor put in his place since other young members seem to follow Trevor.  The pack leader gets his almost brother in law-Dirk to give Trevor some obedience lessons.

I am a big fan of Sean Michael. I love the author’s sense of style and details and the fact that he isn’t afraid to write what he wants and push the boundaries.

I loved this story. Even though this one did have a satisfactory ending, I still wanted more. I love a good shifter story and this one really hit the spot. I’m not sure if I’d call it dubious or non-consent but it was tastefully done however, you want to label it.

I loved the plot, the flow and the completeness of the story. It’s really hard to get a    good complete story in so few a pages, but this author did it quite well.  I would love to see this in a full book. Every character involved was very interesting and would make one heck of a book or series.

If you like, dubious or non-consent, paranormal romance, werewolves, hot alphas, rebels, and some very hot mansex this is for you!

Inheritance by Sean Michael

62e40d5f7ffd628b7fafba6acedb7b541a62a08cTitle: Inheritance

Series:   N/A

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (99 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (November 6th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 2.75 Hearts

Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo

Blurb: Cash McCord loves his life. He owns the family ranch, works hard and invites the occasional cowboy into his bed. All that changes when his brother Jack and Jack’s wife Val are killed in a car crash, leaving behind six kids. 

Cash is made guardian along with Val’s brother Brad Rafferty. Brad couldn’t be more different than Cash. A Yankee, Brad is a video game developer who works twelve to fourteen hour days at his desk. The two men lock horns on sight, neither man happy to have the other around, but neither willing to give up guardianship of their nieces and nephews. 

Can they manage to keep the kids together, and keep from killing each other at the same time? 

Originally published in the Family Matters anthology 

Purchase Link:   http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_85&products_id=4057

Review: Okay so let me state the first thing I liked about this book.  It is authentic to how men behave. Often in m/m romance books, there is an element of men behaving in ways that are slightly out of character. In this book, the men meet, have some misgivings about each other, but recognize an attraction and immediately act upon it without any romanticized notions.  BRAVO! Okay so let’s move on from there.

The book opens with the men having to navigate a horrific tragedy while trying to assume the role of parents all at the same time.  I think this is a phenomenal story idea, I don’t, however, think that all the themes could be addressed in a satisfactory fashion in only 100 pages. What themes do you ask? First, there is the loss of family, which is in itself a book. Second, there is how the SIX children (the sheer number is mind-boggling) must navigate the loss of BOTH their parents and then be third taken care of uncles who have never taken care of children before. Then add to that the challenge of assuming all those responsibilities while juggling careers. It’s a lot!

Now don’t get me wrong – this is very real and could happen – but to attempt to do justice to all these themes in 99 pages is ambitious.  But I will say that there is a genuine approach to dealing with it all, it’s just that themes like these require deeper exploration than could be accomplished in 99 pages.

Oh and there is clearly some unresolved personal drama with Brad and his family – that is also brought into the story.  This is the first insight we get into Brad, but neither Brad nor Cash are fully developed characters so the reader wants to get the inside scoop, but it never happens. The references in the story to the departed parents (the respective brother and sister) provide some insight, but not enough for the reader to become fully invested in the coupling of Brad and Cash. The reader doesn’t see any real connection between the men except a strong physical attraction and their commitment to the children. As such, the reader wants them to succeed not because of wanting to see them as a couple, but really more to provide a stable foundation for the children. 

If the intent was to establish the quick and intense heat the men felt towards each other due to the tragic circumstances, then that’s established. However, since these previously mentioned themes are very artfully brought into the picture, the reader will want to see those themes further developed. Since they aren’t, the ending appeared rushed and unfinished. 

Here’s my wish – that this author revisit this story one day and continue to develop all the themes. This is NOT a short story – tackling all those themes is really about coming face to face with the human experience in its full capacity – now THAT’s a story. Think about it?  These men become insta-parents to emotionally wrecked CHILDREN – six of them, how do they manage this?  How does Brad handle this when his own childhood seems to have been fraught with issues of abandonment? How do these men adjust to change their lives and create a new reality from the debris that they’ve been left to manage?  And what happens to them as men when they must now reinvent themselves?  What is it that will make Brad and Cash become a stable couple to provide these children with the life they so clearly wish to give them?  Why should the reader root for them as men and lovers and not just as potential parents? And most importantly – How do Brad, Cash and the children learn to grow and love each other and become a family?

Bar None Anthology (Torquere Press)

51Cj8YFe8MLTitle: Bar None Anthology

Author: Kiernan Kelly, Ba Tortuga, Julia Talbot, Sean Michael

Length: Full length Anthology (223 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 24th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Do you like your bartenders hot and sexy? Do you like it when they get up close and personal with some of their patrons? Then you’ll love Bar None!

Kiernan Kelly goes into outer space for Kind of a D.R.A.G., the story of bartender Max and a robot who’s more than your standard nuts and bolts. On the other hand, Julia Talbot’s men stay firmly planted on earth, and in nature, as werebear Seamus deals with grumpy bar owner and werewolf Hugh and a dangerous animal poacher in The Blue Moon Bar.

BA Tortuga revisits Shane and Galen from the Stormy Weather series in Bartender Rescue. This time Shane’s the one working too hard and Galen has to remind his bartender how to have fun before they forget how to be a couple. In Flair, Sean Michael goes to the Hammer club where flair expert Nathan is hired by Xavier to teach the staff some bartending tricks, but it’s Dom Jarrod who winds up showing Nathan a few tricks of his own.

Don’t miss out on these four sexy tales of bartenders and the men who love them.

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=76&products_id=4025

Review: Four stories that have you glimpse at sexy bartenders in hot and needy situations. Admittedly, not one of the stories resembles the other and that is a great plus in my books. Here is a more specific review for each of them. Enjoy!

Bartender Rescue by BA Tortuga 2.5~3 Hearts

Hmm, well this was definitely not the fun, happy-go-lucky kind of read I thought it would be. It rather had this melancholic vibe, a bit depressing, and it took a lot of the fun away. This story follows Shane and Galen, and if you’ve read The Stormy Weather Series then you already know these characters. If not it’ doesn’t matter because the story stands easily alone and you can follow it without a hitch.

Shane is finding himself in a weird situation where he’s literally transformed from a beach bum to a five bar owner. It’s a big success really, but with it comes great responsibility and stress. Things are going so bad that from his point of view everything is going down and fast. Running five bars is not an easy thing to do when everything depends on you. The only constant in his life his love for Galen, but now even Galen is not enough to help him from this dead-end situation. If something doesn’t give, he might just lose it.

Galen on the other hand has everything he ever wanted. Most of all and everything he got Shane, but lately Shane is rarely there always running to one bar or the other, rarely sleeping and day by day seeming more lost than ever. Along with him, Galen feels at a loss of what to do and how to help his lover overcome this thing that is literally killing him.

It’s a rescue mission kind of read, but I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy it much. The erotic part was hot as hell, but it had me thinking it was too much and always so tinged with despair. I still feel like I have a heavy burden pressing down my chest and can’t really breathe. Weird reaction!

Kind of a D.R.A.G. by Kiernan Kelly 3.5 Hearts

Oh, my. This story was fun. It certainly brought a smile or rather smiles on my face.

Artificial Intelligence, outer space, superior androids, and a plot filled with surprising twists that leave you in a dreamy land of possibility and charming emotions. Yup, I liked this story.

Max is a bartender in a remote prison planet hating his life. His Boss went off the planet for vacations without leaving any way of contact behind, his second in command popped dead. The two Queens androids started a destruction phase from cutting off a stripper’s penis and setting him on fire to messing up the D.R.A.G. machine after creating the most disturbingly HOT android ever made. Disturbingly HOT because there is no way you look at “Ben Dover” and not get instant erection. With everything falling apart and Max not being able to control or put a full stop on this destructive wave he fears he’s going to get his ass handed when Boss finally gets back… Let the twists begin!

From that moment on, this story is incredibly funny. Yes the Queens’ antics were hilarious (loved their names by the way), Ben Dover the new stripper was a huge surprise, Max’s life as it unfolded was a knock over, but what I pissed myself laughing was the part when Boss came… back.

Yeah definitely a worth reading space tale this one.

The Blue Moon Bar by Julia Talbot 3 Hearts

A bear behind the bar and a wolf as a boss, now there is a combination that is bound to bring sparks and fireworks.

Hugh is the most grumpy, growly, irritating boss ever made. Seamus is seriously trying to control his bear and not rip this crazy wolf’s head off. He loves his job, his boss trust him more than one would think, but that riding his ass as hard as he can is getting old news. Perhaps the crazy wolf needs to get laid and get rid of his irritation. And wouldn’t Seamus love to be the one to relax that sexy son of a bitch.

This was a nice story, with growls and fights in place to make you appreciate the wild side of these shifters. We even have poachers hunting for bears and a rescue mission that while it failed, or was a bit late, it led to some hot erotic scenes. If only the villain of the story wasn’t so flat, it would’ve been a much better one.

Still quite a nice read and the wolf-bear mating was one I liked a lot.

Flair, a Hammer Story By Sean Michael 4 Hearts

Oh damn, this Hammer story is one of the best I’ve read so far. So freaking fun, hot, sexy, and sweet. Damn great!

Nathan is a professional bartender, an entertainer. Writing books, traveling and training other bartenders. He’s hot really and the picture painted is so appealing, he’s simply irresistible. A honey trap for Jarrod who enters Hammer Club only to see him there while training the other subs/bartenders. He can’t help but ask Nate for dinner and from that moment on, the flirt begins. Only problem is Nate isn’t into the lifestyle and is a bit scared of anything involved. But there is a bright side that Jarrod can’t ignore; Nathan is a natural sub without even knowing it. And what a wonderful challenge to explore this man and open his eyes to the world of BDSM.

As I said this is one of the best Hammer stories ever. The sensuality in this read is huge and drags you in its depth like a drug-induced dream. The sensations are sublime, the plot actually intriguing and enticing, the characters both are quite alluring and Jarrod’s confidence make your heart beat faster whether you like it or not. Loved it!

 

Pour Me A Triple by Sean Michael

18588116Title: Pour Me A Triple

Series:  High Balls

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Contemporary/BDSM/Ménage

Length: Novel (158 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 25th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating:
♥♥♥3Hearts

Blurb: When Jai and Bay meet at The Bending Willow where Bay is a bartender, they never expect that the two of them together will catch the eye of Master Storm, but that’s exactly what happens. Bay’s been looking for a Dom ever since he started work at the Bending Willow, but Jai’s not familiar at all with the lifestyle. Can the three men find a balance that works for each of them, or will Bay have to choose between Jai and Storm?

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4023

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: So we have Bay, who tends the bar in a BDSM club but for all intents and purposes is a submissive virgin wannabe, and then Jai enters the picture one night. Bay, who is looking for a Dom, picks up Jai is also seems rather submissive, they hit it off for dinner and make desert of it later. When Storm, the big daddy Dom enters the picture they take things a step at a time in the sexual encounter direction, but by their second ménage, they are already claiming love. Really. There’s lots of spanking, wanking, and blowing, even some fun piercing, but that’s all I can say for the book. If you’re looking for some lighthearted, lightweight BDSM ménage reading, this has some. Other than that, nothing deeper happening here.

Flack Jacket Love by Sean Michael

18518351Title: Flack Jacket Love

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Erotica/Ménage

Length: Short Story (13 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 18th 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Rig has a secret. Sometimes, when he’s alone, he put on one of Rock or Dick’s old camo jackets and gets off wearing it. What happens when he’s caught in the middle of things by Rock and Dick themselves?

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_111&products_id=3999

Review: I’m going to sound so cheesy, but this was a naughty, naughty read. Made me giggle like stupid. What can I say, I find threesomes awesome, but this one was written in such a fun, fun way. Yeah! Made giggle on top of everything else…

Honestly, there’s nothing more plot-wise here. This is a story about a threesome relationship. Two of the guys used to be Marines once upon a time and Rig secretly misses that. So once in a while, when he’s alone, he explores this uniform fetish he’s developed, until one day he gets caught.

Imagine getting early home and finding your lover working himself. Now that is an invitation one can’t resist, and damn if Sean Michael doesn’t deliver a hot erotic scene to blow your mind. It’s playful, sensual, and sexy as hell. It had me verging between panting and giggling stupid at the whole deal.

So there, you want a fun little bite, this extremely short story is strongly recommended.

 

Payday by Sean Michael

18482789Title: Payday

Author: Sean Michael

Genre:  Erotica / Paranormal

Length: Short Story (13 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 11th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Alan and Mark are successful, rich and have a ton of friends, all thanks to a deal they made with a demon named Riskin. To hold up their end of the bargain, every now and then they have to host Riskin in the bedroom and obey his every whim. Tonight is payday, the best night of the year.

Originally published in the Care and Feeding of Demons anthology.

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_180&products_id=3984

Review: Why this was a surprise. I liked this short story very, very much. It was hot and it drew me into it instantly.

What’s not to like though. Make a deal with the devil and have a life people envy you for. Full of richness and happiness. Only downside is when the devil comes to collect. But is it really a downside, or is it the most perfect part of the bargain?

Take a wild guess. Yup! You guessed right if you picked the latter, for this demon is heavenly. When he comes to collect, Mark and Alan are his for three nights. The best part is that he is also theirs for that amount of time. And the demon is hot in every meaning of the word.

As for our boys, I liked the contrast between them. I loved eager Mark, and I loved brooding Alan. His pushy side would have benefited more in a slightly longer story methinks.

This story is one of those I think it’s too short and needs a follow-up, now damn it! Yeah, totally recommended!

Brownies by Sean Michael

18482789Title: Brownies

Series: Hammer #1.4

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Gay Erotica / BDSM

Length: Short Story (15 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 11th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: When Tanny suggests he and Jim make brownies, it seems a simple enough task. Six hours later, when their masters come home, the kitchen looks like it’s been hit by a chocolate bomb. Will Jim survive Marcus’ reaction?

Originally published in the Pour Some Sugar On It Anthology

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_180&products_id=3983

Review: Wow, an early-years story for Marcus and Jim. Let’s see; this is quite a short one and the core theme is quite simple. Pour some chocolate down a sub’s body and have your way with it, no matter how long it takes… Wicked in the fact that the sub must show a great deal of patience and endure the pleasure levels getting higher and higher.

What caught my attention – as I haven’t read the early stories in the Hammer series – is Jim. He looked nothing like the Jim in Hitched for example. Here Jim is so in his shell still. He is actually scared of Tanny and it just about killed me. Hilarious!

However, the dialogues and general chemistry remained the same for me, not so appealing. The whispered “Master” that kept falling out of Jim’s mouth fell flat and had no gravity in the BDSM-side at all for me. I keep expecting something, some intensity out of them, but I don’t seem to get there. I mostly found this read cute when I should have found it erotic, and that is what actually bothers me. As for Bill and Tanny, they were great at playing the soundtrack in this little story.

 

Box of Nails: This Young Stud by Sean Micheal

71E1zMhTrQL._SL1500_Title: Box of Nails: This Young Stud

Series:  Box of Nails

Author: Sean Michael

Genre:  Contemporary/BDSM

Length: Novella (130 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (August 7th, 2013)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb:  Jeff has hired on as the manager of the house owners Dev and Barney are trying to create for the servers at the Hammer Club, and dealing with all those twinks is like herding cats. Still, he loves his new job, which is partly due to meeting hot, interesting sub, Paul.

Paul is Devvie’s best friend, a bartender at the Hammer Club, and a sweet little bottom. He believes he breaks Doms, though, so when he falls for Jeff, he figures the best thing he can do is stay away. Jeff won’t let him hide, and soon they’re seeing each other, despite Paul’s worries.

Can Jeff and Paul overcome the past and make a life together?

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3956

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: How fun would it be to work as a Dom/RA for a house of subs? Trying to manage the care and feeding of a bunch of young twinks fast becomes a challenge for Jeff, a young Dom hired by Devon and Barney to help manage this house of young men who work at The Hammer.

Paulie, Devon’s best friend and slightly frantic, reserved young sub, immediately fascinates Jeff. Problem is Paulie believes he breaks Doms and doesn’t deserve Jeff’s attentions. There’s also the matter of other jealous subs in the house and one extremely introverted and damaged young man named Mikey who needs both Paul and Jeff’s care and attention. Yes, it’s a house of drama, but it includes lots of sexy and even tender D/s scenes. Jeff makes it his mission to convince Paulie of his worth, and to claim the beautiful sub as his own. Paul learns to shine and appreciate his own worth as a sub and in serving. What a fun series! I missed the first one so I’m cracking that one open a.s.a.p.! And so should you!

Hitched by Sean Michael

18242992Title: Hitched

Series: Hammer #20

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Erotic Romance / BDSM

Length: Novella (62 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (July 23rd, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥2 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: The proposal was the easy part, but can Marcus and Jim survive planning the wedding?

Jim asked Marcus to marry him on Valentine’s Day and his master said yes. That should have been the hard part, right? Jim goes into full perfectionist mode, though, wanting everything to be just right for his master, and soon he’s stressed and unhappy.

When the planning also interferes with Marcus and Jim’s usual routine, miscommunication and misunderstandings follow. Is a wedding really worth all the aggravation?

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78_91&products_id=3948

Review: Well I was expecting a kinky and funny little short here, but that is not exactly what I got. Thing is I came to dread those three little words, you which ones, the “I love you”. I suppose this being a proposal/wedding themed story I shouldn’t have been surprised, yet silly me I had a difficult time getting used to read them every five sentences.

All in all, I don’t think this plot was ideal for me. The kinky stuff that should have made it worth it simply didn’t reach me. I couldn’t get into the spanking/bl routine the guys had; I couldn’t get into the mushy lovey-dovey situation at all and of course a wedding and all the drama it entails, good God I seriously disliked it.

The character frustrated me a bit too. There was so much love in the air and zero communication; Jim was such a weird creature, so very anxious that I had trouble liking, and Markus, well I was too indifferent of him.

Their intimate scenes being practically the same thing over and over again didn’t help much to create a nice atmosphere or get the reader enticed and enthralled with. A serious lack of creativity there and I found myself wondering why am I reading the same passage all over again in a different page.

Bottom end, this simply wasn’t my gig. For a D/s relationship, I expected something else and didn’t enjoy what I got much.

 

Love is Blindness by Sean Michael

loveisblindnessTitle:  Love is Blindness

Series:  N/A

Author:  Sean Michael

Genre:   Erotic Romance

Length:  Novella (60 pages)

Publisher:  All romance eBooks (February 13th, 2010)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Blurb:   Love at first sight…

Young, cool, laid back professor Kieran is totally captivated by the blind and beautiful Lucien.

Lucien has been around a long time, but he is equally caught by Kieran’s sensuality. He believes Kieran might be the man he wishes to spend the rest of eternity with.

Lucien’s blindness doesn’t turn Kieran off, but will his secret?

Product Link:  http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-loveisblindness-402745-139.html

Reviewer:   Tams

Review:  It is a wonderful thing when an author is able to strip a character of one of their basic senses, and yet still completely convey a full array of emotions from that character. That is what Michael does with Lucien.

Lucien is a blind, gay vampire. Having lost his sight not long after he was turned, he’s had to learn to rely on his other senses. Kieran is a college professor that Lucien stumbles upon one night at a poetry reading. It’s obvious immediately that Lucien is gay, but it takes a little longer for Kieran to realize he’s blind. He quickly learns that it’s not a disability though…at least not for Lucien. What he lacks in vision, he makes up for in touch. He plays Kieran’s body like a violin, tweaking every sound, every emotion, and every tingle with the tips of his fingers.

After a couple of very intense nights of sensually passionate trysts, Lucien decides that Kieran is the one he wants to spend eternity with. But, eternity is very long time. If Kieran believes his story, believes what Lucien tells him he is, will he want to spend eternity with him?

This book should be sold with a fan! The sensuality and passion jump off the pages. I was a little disappointed that we got a glimpse into Lucien’s past, but nothing into Kieran’s. My major complaint was the story was way too short. I could take a full-length novel with these two characters. If you are looking for a short, sexy read with some guy on guy action that will make your toes curl…this is the book for you!

 

Pushy Bottom by Sean Michael

18133648Title: Pushy Bottom

Series:  Sealed with A Kink, Book 2
  
Author: Sean Michael
 
Genre: BDSM

Length: Short Stories

Publisher: Resplendence Publishing LLC (June 26th, 2013)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb:  Darren Black has been watching beautiful, aloof sub Nikolai for some time. Nic is the pushiest bottom he’s ever seen. Doms don’t stick with him for long, but Darren plans on being the one who does.

After spending a night together in one intense scene after another, Darren introduces Nic to the pleasures of waking up with a lover.

Could Darren be the one to claim Nic?


Product Link: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/587-978-1-60735-668-4–pushy-bottom-sealed-with-a-kink-series-book-two-by-sean-michael.html

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: This Sealed with A Kink series by Sean Michael is kind of like the petit fours of BDSM. Each story is a scene; each scene is a tasty bite. And Nic might deny it, but all his protests and brattyness aside he sure likes it when Darren takes a bite of him. There may not be any flogging involved, but what Darren can do with his hands (and well-lubed fist) might just tame this bratty bottom!

Carved in Wood by Sean Michael

Title:  Carved in Wood

Series: Howling at the Moon Series

Author:  Sean Michael

Genre:   Shapeshifter/ Fantasy

Length:  Novella (103 pages)

Publisher:  Amber Allure (October 7th 2012)

Heat Level:  Medium

Heart Rating:  ♥♥2Hearts

Blurb:   Can a rescue turn into love?

In a brutal world where werewolves are hunted and killed, Wood runs a group that smuggles wolves out of the city to safety. But when Wood meets Daniel, nearly dead from the silver bullet in his shoulder and with a story about entire packs being stolen and forced to work in labor camps, Wood begins to question whether or not he’s really helping anyone at all. Is he simply smuggling wolves out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire?

Meanwhile, as Daniel heals, he and Wood form a bond, coming together in a way neither man ever expected, and bringing up feelings neither man has ever experienced. Will their becoming mates muddy the waters, or make everything perfectly clear?

Product Link:  http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/CarvedInWood.html

Reviewer:   Any

Review:  More porn than plot.

Daniel escapes a camp holding wolf packs prisoners. Along the way, he loses his brother and is shot. He quickly runs into Wood, a shifter who identifies him for what he is immediately, and who immediately takes it upon himself to help Daniel.

The first few chapters moved quickly and were okay—though, perhaps the pacing could have slowed down a touch more for us to really get a feel for the characters—but very early in the story, Daniel and Wood mate and I felt the story fizzled into porn after that. Almost on every page something was sexual was happening at the cost of the story.

I thought one interesting story development was Daniel’s need to revenge his brother and set free the rest of his pack from the camp he’d been imprisoned in, however, when he and Wood go back to do this, the events are summarized in a few sentences. We don’t see any struggle or feel there are any stakes in what should be the climax. With no tension, this made the story a difficult read to engage in on any other level other than the physical.

If you are in the mood for a simple, sex-filled story that focuses more on the animal side of shifters, this might be for you.

 

Switch by Sean Michael

Title: Switch

Author: Sean Michael

Genre: Contemporary, BDSM

Length: 231 pages

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 26, 2012)

Heat level: Explicit

Heart rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts 

Blurb: Ewan’s application to the Hammer Club has hit a snag. For some reason, Master Oliver has asked him to train alongside another Top before having his membership approved. Ewan’s not sure where he screwed up, but he figures he must have done something wrong for Oliver to have taken this step.

Randy is the Top assigned to work with Ewan. Easy going and unattached, Randy is happy to work with Ewan, even more so when he meets the man and is instantly attracted. That attraction only deepens as the two men work together and find themselves deeply compatible in the bedroom, and in life.

What happens when Randy expresses his belief that Ewan is a sub, and not just any sub, but Randy’s sub? Can Ewan find it in himself to give Randy what the man wants, and what he himself needs?

Product link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=3703

Reviewer: Heart

Review:  This is another story in the Hammer series where the connecting point is the exclusive BDSM Club and the reappearing characters who tend to grow on you more with each new book. In that regard, it’s a Sean Michael classic, with sex consuming almost each page and very little plot.

Ewan had submitted his application to the Hammer Club as a top. But, Master Oliver, a character who appears in pretty much each book, has some information that make Ewan different, and instead of approving his membership, he assigns him to another top for training.

Now, if you’ve read any of the previous books, you already know that Oliver is a scheming man, who always has his friend’s best interests at heart.  But, boy does he love to meddle, and you’ll have trouble finding a more stubborn top than him. He loves pairing up his friends and members so it’s not by chance that he chooses Randy as Ewan’s trainer.

The sparks are instant, edging on explosions and the sex is scorching. But you can’t really expect anything else from this BDSM world.  Because, if there is one thing that it never lacks, it’s imaginative positions, scenes and toys. Yes, I loved the sex, found it to be very satisfying and while I was somewhat disappointed that some talked about scenes never took place, what I got was more than enough.

If this is your first Hammer novel, you should be aware that the plot really is minimal and I’m not exaggerating about the amount of sex. When you read a few of Sean Michael books, it also become repetitive and you notice little things like one word sentences that feel unfinished and a lack of research on some sexual practices. So it happened that I had a feeling I’d already read some parts of this book in others and at a few spots I was seriously worried about Ewan’s nipples.

However, good sex and a lot of it, is not something that will make me give lower ratings. In this case my issue was the too quick jump for Ewan from a confident top to a submissive who barely resisted. Words leaving his mouth contradicted his thoughts and when you include his past into the mix, it all comes out even less believable. I disliked Randy’s way of solving issues with sex and spanking.  But, then again, I always have issues with that, because I don’t think traumas could be solved so easily and words do have a purpose.

All in all, true fans won’t be disappointed because this is definitely a hot piece of writing; true to the series with hotness screaming off the pages.

 

Opening Moves by Sean Michael

Title: Opening Moves

Series: Chess 01

Genre: Gay MM/ Ménage à Quatre/ BDSM

Author: Sean Michael

Length/Format: 108 pages, eBook

Publisher: Published January 30th 2012 by Total-E-Bound

ISBN: 978-0-85715-871-0

Product link:  http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1517

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Artemis

From the Publisher: Rook, Knight and Bishop have been searching for a fourth man to join their threesome for quite a while when Knight meets Jason, the live model in the art class he’s auditing. He thinks that Jason is the perfect man for them and his lovers Rook and Bishop quickly agree. The trick will be convincing Jason…

About the Author:  Often referred to as “Space Cowboy” and “Gangsta of Love” while still striving for the moniker of “Maurice,” Sean Michael spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the Kama sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to “Chicago”.

A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.

Barring any of that? He’ll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.

My Review:  I wasn’t really sure how a book with 4 male characters was going to play out, but I was really impressed with this story. I can see why the author uses the game of chess as a comparison. The strategy and give and take in the relationships is similar to the moves each piece must take in a game of chess.

Bishop, Knight and Rook are looking for someone to join their threesome. They want someone who they can ‘play with’ (as they call it) for a year and Jason is their choice of playmates. Problem is, Jason insists that he is straight and not all that interested in sex. Unfortunately, Jason is also broke, about to be evicted from his apartment and lose his job so he tries to be a little bit more open-minded about the proposition. When Rook offers to introduce him to the pleasures of a M/M relationship, his world is turned quite upside down when he realizes he might not be as straight as he thought!

Each of these characters is completely distinct with their own voice, personality, and character traits. Bishop is, without question, the dominant force in this relationship. He is forceful, but caring and clearly loves both Knight and Rook in very different ways. Knight is a tortured artist, ex drug addict and very intense. He needs Bishop to dominate him and keep him in line and there is some light BDSM in their relationship. Rook is a sweetie and it is hinted at a couple of times in the story that one of the reasons they are looking for a fourth for their group is so that he has someone he can take care of and bond with. Bishop and Knight have a very dark and intense need for one another and while they both love Rook, he needs someone a little gentler and Jason seems to be working out fine!

I love that they author created such unique characters with their own personalities. It really helped, at the beginning, when I was first starting to get to know them all. This book is made up of a whole lot of sex, interspersed with joking and lighthearted bickering and a little bit of angst. If you are looking for lots of plot and mystery…this isn’t the book for you. However, if you are looking for well written characters with good personalities and fun dialogue that have lots of sexy fun, this is a great choice!

If I could have changed anything about this book, I would have added a little bit more back story. I really want to go back to the beginning of this threesome and see how the whole thing got started! With this being the first book in the series, I am looking forward to seeing how Jason’s part in this whole thing works out. He is a sweetheart and seems to be enjoying his introduction into the world of M/M sex.