Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: Mane and Tail
SERIES: Modifications #1
AUTHOR: Sean Michael
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 104 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2016
BLURB:
Eric Martin is a successful businessman, but he’s lonely, he’s stressed, and there’s something missing from his life. At least that is, until he meets Daryus at a conference. Daryus promises he can offer Eric all his fantasies come true. A second meeting at a bar one night, leads Eric through a door into a world where he suddenly finds himself as the ‘pony’ of groom Soren.
Soren is a groom of human ponies who is working off his debt to a demon by training men in pony play. He enjoys his work a lot and one day hopes to have a pony of his own as a reward for all the good work he’s done and to celebrate the payment of his debt. When Eric appears in his stall, Soren believes that day has finally come.
Eric can’t believe the stables he finds himself in are real. His pony fantasies are just that – fantasies. Not only that, he’s never shared them with anyone, so how could Daryus have known? Between Eric’s confusion and lack of experience, Soren has his work cut out not only training Eric, but convincing him that this is real and that Eric doesn’t ever need to go back to his old world.
With a little demon magic and a lot of care, Eric and Soren just might find everything they need to be both happy and together.
REVIEW:
Eric Martin is overworked, stressed and is seriously repressed when it comes to his own needs. When he meets a sexy stranger at a conference who hands him a business card and promises to fulfill all his wildest dreams, needless to say he doesn’t believe him. He’s curious though. Not finding much of anything on the website he was given, Eric mentally shrugs off the impulse to check further and goes on with his regular routine only to find he now has a serious problem. Days later when a now irritated and seriously sexually frustrated Eric runs into that same man, he demands answers…and finds himself somewhere he never once thought he’d be.
I really do enjoy a book with kink in it and as I’m not really all that versed in pony play, I figured this book would give me a good look at it. It was pretty obvious that Eric really needed some help to get in touch with his wants and needs as he was wound tighter than a spring about to pop. Most of the book revolves around Soren getting Eric settled into the role of being a pony and the training he’s put through. Things are understandably rocky in the beginning as Eric doesn’t understand how he came to be in the stables and he’s desperate to cling to anything that will give him a return to what’s ‘normal’. Soren is incredibly patient and does well calming down and introducing Eric to new things; with Eric so high strung, the calm that Soren practically exuded made them a good match.
I found the training interesting but the farther the story progressed, the more small time skips there were so that you don’t get to see everything Eric is being put through. I can understand the author not wanting to come off as too monotonous with giving every little detail, but since I’m mostly unfamiliar with pony play, I would’ve liked to have seen it all. My biggest complaint with the book actually has to deal with the part of the demons in the story. I think the little hint of paranormal involvement was interesting but that’s all you really get: a hint. It would’ve been really nice to have gotten some kind of explanation as to their role in everything or, at least, more than the tiny glimpse of one you get at the very end.
Overall I enjoyed the story though I was left with questions yet unanswered. (I’m hoping I might get more information as the series continues, however.) I found the premise interesting (with the demons and the wish fulfillment) and I’m really looking forward to finding out what kink the author introduces next. This was a nice little look at how pony play works so it that’s something that interests you, or if you just like kink of all types, this could be for you. It was a nice easy read that gave me a glimpse of something different and I’m sure I’ll read it again.
RATING:
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