Reviewed by Sarina
This is a Series Review of the Chess Series (Books 1 – 2)
AUTHOR: Sean Michael
PUBLISHER: Pride Publishing
SERIES REVIEW:
Overall I felt this was an enjoyable start to the series; it obviously won’t be for everyone as there’s less in the way of storyline and more ‘plot, what plot?’ If you’re in the mood for some smutty fiction, however, this could be for you; especially if you don’t have a problem with a foursome getting sexy with each other. Fans of Sean Michael should enjoy this for sure but I’d recommend it to anyone that just wants to read some good old fashioned kinky sex. 😛
TITLE: Opening Moves
LENGTH: 134 pages
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Threesome Rook, Knight and Bishop make Jason an offer he can’t refuse. Can the four of them be exactly what they each need? Find out in this Opening Move… Rook, Knight and Bishop have been searching for a fourth man to join their threesome for quite a while when Knight meets Jason, the life 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… Join these sexy men as they make their Opening Moves. Publisher’s Note: This book was previously released under the same title. It has been expanded for re-release with Pride Publishing.
REVIEW:
Rook, Knight and Bishop have been together for years and while they love and enjoy one another, it still feels like something is missing. Searching for a fourth to add to their group, however, has proven difficult but Knight swears he’s found the perfect candidate…all they have to do now is convince him. Finding himself strapped for cash, Jason volunteers to work as a nude model for an art class while hoping he can still find a job that will keep him off of the streets. In all the scenarios he’s imagined, however, being propositioned to join an established triad for a year wasn’t one of them. The money offered would be a life saver but he isn’t gay…right?
I love Sean Michael and this series was the first poly relationship I’d ever read about so when it was re-released with extra content, I was super excited and couldn’t wait to get started to see what had changed. Each of the men in this book is so very different but you can clearly see how they fit together and give each other what they need. Bishop, Knight and Rook are all very comfortable in their skins, though Knight still struggles sometimes, and when Jason joins them you get to see their personalities really come through. Jason’s first forays into being with a guy were well done; you can see how he struggles to deal with everything new while continuing to deny he’s attracted to guys. This book is probably over 60% smut (which I was perfectly happy with) but that didn’t stop me from getting to know the characters well enough to feel that I understood them. I also loved the new content at the beginning; I think it was a stronger intro than the original work.
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TITLE: Middle Game
LENGTH: 122 pages
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Can Jason be with three amazing men and not lose his heart in the process? Living with and being the play toy of three men is more rewarding than Jason could have imagined. Bishop, Knight and Rook each have their own way of loving on him. In Bishop he finds a work-out partner, friendship, and good solid lovemaking. He isn’t sure what to make of Knight, but the man is a brilliant artist and there are worse things than being Knight’s subject for his latest series of paintings. And the kinky things Knight does to him blow his mind on a regular basis. It’s Rook who Jason is falling in love with, though. The bright, loving, sexy man has him head over heels and Jason’s beginning to worry that he’s getting himself in way over his head. Can he continue to be with these men without losing his heart?
REVIEW:
Jason is finally starting to settle into his new life with Bishop, Knight, and Rook; he’s also begun admitting to himself that he likes men and that he really likes Rook. He’s still being pushed to his limits with new experiences, both in and outside of the bedroom, and after each new encounter with the men he’s quickly becoming attached to, he comes out of his shell a little more. A chance conversation with Rook has unintended consequences, however, and Jason will have to decide for himself whether he can keep their agreement at the risk of his heart.
I felt this was a good continuation to the series; a couple of months have passed between the first book and this one and it was really nice to see how Jason had changed. While still shy and wary of certain things, he’s really started to open up and you can see the niche he’s finding for himself with the rest of the group. Like the previous book, there’s more sex and less story but you can still see the characters evolving, most notably Jason and Knight. This one also has had some extra content added which was a nice bonus and fit well in with the rest of the storyline. My only real complaint is that I haven’t gotten to see any major alone time between Jason and Knight but I’m hoping that will be included in the next book. I’m a greedy girl, I can’t help it. 😀
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