I have never really gotten into the Hammer world but read a few shorts that included characters and got interested. So I read Push which made me curious about Marcus so I read Bent. They are looooong. So that's about all I've read for the last few days.
Push by Sean Michael (303 pages)
Torquere Press
Retired soldier and dom Gordon is at the club when he sees retired cop/now PI Frank visiting with Oliver and Jack. Everyone tells him Frank's not into the lifestyle but Gordon is intrigued and asks him out. They start dating and eventually Gordon pushes Frank closer and closer to the D/s BDSM life. This was interesting in that Frank gets meningitis and loses most of his hearing and a lot of heavy issues are dealt with. Frank nearly died on the job before he retired and his partner was killed by a serial killer, he doesn't take care of himself, dealing with a handicap, plus his feeling that everyone at the club are freaks. I did enjoy watching the slow progression of the relationship and it didn't go from "I don't do that" to "Whip me" in a week. Not sure it would ever get there. The only think I find with these novels is head hopping. Sometimes it would take me a few lines/paragraphs to figure out who was talking and thinking what. Of course there is tons of sex but because it doesn't get kinkier till closer to the end, I didn't find myself skimming in this case.
Bent by Sean Michael (389 pages)
Torquere Press
So I got curious about Marcus from what I read about him in Push and I'd read a short recently with Marcus and Jim so thought I'd check it out. Marcus sees surly Jim in the bookstore and "knows" he's the one, even though Jim is not in the lifestyle at all. However he basically overwhelms him and before Jim knows what hit him he's moved in with Marcus and discovers that he's totally into spanking and pain. Marcus comes across as the totally smug dom who knows what the other person needs, and while it turns out he's right and he does care, I found him a bit eye roll worthy. I liked Jim, he'd had a rough life after being accused of raping a student and even though he was found innocent he's still being harassed by the sorority she belonged to with threatening letters. This was one aspect of the story I found interesting and Marcus was pushing Jim to see another lawyer and then ... the whole concept just dropped off the table and there was no resolution. I kept waiting for it to be dealt with. Again with the head hopping which I found a bit more confusing in this one, and I started skimming the sex scenes because every time was the same, you're stressed, I'll paddle your butt and fuck you better. Oh, you're stressed? Let me ... over and over. I get it. That's what he needs, lets move on shall we? So I didn't like this as much as Push since it seemed to set up some of the conflict and then just let it die away although I liked Jim.
25 comments:
I like this series. I didn't realize Push is out. I'll have to go buy it.
I think I read Baked in this series. It's pretty good, but for some reason I'm not always in the mood for this series!
you're stressed, I'll paddle your butt and fuck you better. Oh, you're stressed? Let me ... over and over. I get it.
Ha, ha! This plus the headhopping and the smug doms guarantees the series isn't for me, but I enjoyed your reviews. :)
It just came out this past week Eyre. Hope you enjoy it.
You definitely have to be in the mood Lis. I found the names in Baked kind of annoyed me. You know exactly what you are getting here though, and sometimes it's the right thing.
At least in Push Gordon wasn't the smug dom Val. He was pushing Frank a bit but it wasn't a case of "I know what you need". However Marcus certainly fit the bill. I found that book just had too many hanging story lines, repetitive sex and the head hopping can be annoying for some.
Pretty sure this series would drive me nuts. :) I've found myself less interested in reading SM's stuff lately.
ZOMG, Tam, your Hottie is absolutely beautiful! I can't stop looking at him.
I really have to be in the mood for it and I seem to have been Chris. LOL Considering I read 600+ pages of it over 2.5 days. Mind you, some of that was skimmed in the second book.
He is lovely KZ. He was a diver apparently as well but if you get yourself some kids, maybe he'd come and Nanny for you. :-)
Uh...I wouldn't go that far.
By the way, the same line in your post that cracked Val up cracked me up too. It was pure Review-by-Tam gold! :-D
Word Veri: wacula (Didn't Chris get "dicula" at Kris's blog? I wonder what's up with the vampire theme.)
KZ: I did! Apparently you got the masturbating vampire. ;)
And not a blood sucker in sight in these reviews. :-)
Good grief you read quickly! I've started Bent but am only about 50 pages or so into it so haven't got bored of the sex. You are right though, Marcus is a bit smug.
Well, you have 330 pages to go yet Jen. LOL At least Marcus is nice enough, sometimes they are smug assholes which is when I lose total interest. It could have been cut by 100 pages though and still been the same book.
Hottie nanny. OMG.
Still haven't finished "Push". When I read any of the long SMichael books, I find I can only do so much in one sitting. I didn't mind Marcus in Bent, maybe because Jim so needed what Marcus provided. And I don't recall getting bored with the sex (as I did in some of the other Hammer books) which may be why I wasn't so affected by the dropped storylines!
They didn't have nannies like that when I was looking to hire one. :-)
Sometimes I do have to be careful with long SM and maybe that's why I started skimming at the end, as I neared the 600 page mark I was getting a bit burned out. I didn't dislike Marcus, I thought he was affectionate and stuff that some doms aren't but he did have that smug dom thing done pat. Spanking is not really my thing either so maybe that's why I found the number of sex scenes with the same theme rather repetitive and boring.
I'm prepared to go without chocolate to hire that nanny! *fans self*.
Sorry, that's all I have... :D
Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices Kaetrin. :-)
Thank you very much for the earworm.
And this series has been on the backburner for me for a while, but I didn't realize it was that heavy.
You're welcome. :-D It does cover some heavier themes and some get more deeply into the BDSM while others seem to be focused more on the D/s part, but it's not overwhelming and if you're in the mood for sounds (both books) and fisting (second book) it's an excellent choice, along with rampant sex 24/7. :-)
YAY! Rampant sex and BDSM in varying degrees. :D
That's the hottest nanny I've ever seen! WOW!! ;)
I liked Bent quite a bit but after a few of the stories I lost interest in the series. This new one sounds interesting though. I may have to check it out.
I think I've read three now. I read Baked too although I don't remember that much, along with several shorts. I can see there is kind of a repetitive theme to them, which I know is part of the appeal, but it can also get tiresome.
Hope you had a fun holiday.
Guess what I'm reading? *sigh*
Push
I'm already 100 pages in. I'm so easy.
Pushed. Bent. I've tried to read your thoughts on these books but my eyes kept wandering to nanny TJ Wilk... and then I ended up googling him... and now I'm finally back...
Right! The Hammer series. I have bought a few of these books a while ago and I thought I had read one too, but I can't seem to find which one, so I probably didn't read it at all. I should remedy that. :)
Hope you enjoy it Miranda. Oh, the power I wield. :-)
Wow, you are easily distracted Janna. ;-) Hope you enjoy what you read. It's pretty typical Sean Michael which is what I'm sometimes in the mood for.
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