Review: The New Boy by Sean Michael

Title: The New Boy (An Iron Eagle Gym Novel)

Author: Sean Michael

Pages/Word Count: 210 Pages

At a Glance: At the heart, this is a sweet romance.

Reviewed By: Carrie

Blurb: Lance Packet just got a contract to shoot an erotic BDSM deck of cards; the only problem is finding models. So far everyone he’s interviewed thinks he’s looking for sex for hire. Then in walk three perfect examples of men: Tide and his friends, Tyrone and Bran.

Tide Germaine is a model and a Dom. He and his best friend Tyrone opened The Iron Eagle Gym as a place for gay men in the lifestyle to work out, do scenes, and congregate with like-minded men. The modeling is just another job for Tide, but it soon turns into a grand seduction as Tide falls for the shy, self-conscious photographer. The problem is Lance doesn’t believe he’s in Tide’s league, and he’s not at all sure about the Dom and sub thing.

It’s not going to be easy, but Tide’s going to have to convince Lance he belongs at Tide’s side as both lover and sub.

Review: Lance Packet is the consummate shy nerd, but he’s also a really good photographer, so he hides behind the lenses of his cameras. Nobody cares as long as the pictures are good, right? On a referral from a friend, Lance lands a job shooting pictures which will comprise of a deck of cards. Not just any deck of cards, though—a fetish deck. It’s enough money to pay his rent for three years, so he’s determined to do the best possible job for his employer. Then he starts to interview models, and in walk Tide, Tyrone and Bran.

“No. No, I’m doing a deck of cards. A fetish deck.” With leather and chains and anal and…. God, he was never going to survive this. Not with these stunning men as potential models.

Tyrone and Bran have been in a steady D/s relationship for years, and are comfortable with each other, their bodies, and in displaying poses consistent with their lifestyle. Tide and Tyrone have been best friends forever, even before Bran, when they founded the Iron Eagle Gym for males in the BDSM scene. Tide has always coveted what Tyrone has with Bran. He longs for a sub of his own but doesn’t want the full-time lifestyle. Tide wants a partner, one who will be submissive in bed but an equal in other areas of their lives. Lance fits this perfectly as a shy man who owns his own business. Tide goes after Lance with a laser-like focus after their first meeting, and what develops is a sweet love story between the two men. Watching Lance gain his confidence and come out from behind his camera and be introduced to the BDSM lifestyle was a treat.

He was so fucked-up, so confused, and the only thing that made sense was Tide.

Tide took another kiss, this one slow and gentle. “You’re stunning, Lance. I can’t help being attracted, and I don’t even want to try.”

“I don’t know what to do now,” he whispered.

“That’s why I’m the Dom, darling.” Tide gave him a wink, hands soft as they moved over him.

We really don’t get to see much of the gym in this book, but since book two is about Tyrone and Bran, I think that will change, as the two men spend a lot of time there. I also wish that there had been a bit more story to go along with the sex. This is a Sean Michael book, though, so there is lots of sex, nicely written, great sex, but it’s just in this story I really wanted a little more umph to these characters.

The plot has two really fantastic premises—the deck of cards and the gym—but we just don’t get to see enough of either. I’m looking forward to the other books in the series. The Perfect Sub should be out soon, and Sean Michaels’ Facebook blog says he is currently writing book three. Hopefully, it’s about the mysterious man who is the silent partner in the Iron Eagle Gym. If not, can he be book four?

TNA_Signature_Carrie